When one speaks of the ICC T20 World Cup 2016, it is very difficult to place someone as champions other than the extremely strong Indian side. Having won 10 of their last 11 games, the Indian team walks into the tournament as firm favourites for the crown.
But if one looks at the 11 games India had, the shocking loss to a below par Sri Lankan side will give belief to the other team that the Indian team is indeed not invincible. And at times, a glimmer of hope is all you need to ensure your confidence before the game ends up on the higher side.
When you look at the Indian team, you see stability. They have persisted with the same bunch of players for a while now. Experts will tell you teams that have a settled side will always do better than ones who still haven’t got their combination sorted out. And when you speak of stability, the very next team that comes to mind is England.
Indeed, from the lows of the World Cup debacle of 2015, the England limited-overs unit has come a long, long way. With the management ringing major changes to the side, the English team have slowly but surely become a force to reckon with on the international stage.
Before losing five straight games (three ODI’s, two T20s) against the South Africans in the recently concluded away series, the Englishmen were on a roll of sorts having been unbeaten in the T20’s since 1 April 2015 (post World Cup) and having lost only six ODI games.
| Since 1 April 2015 before the losses to SA | Played | Won | Lost | NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20 | 5 | 4 | - | 1 |
| ODI | 16 | 10 | 6 | 1 |
Indeed, the Englishmen will be high on confidence even after the recent bad patch against the South Africans. In the recently concluded practice game against the Kiwi’s, the Poms again asserted their dominance beating them comprehensively to further boost their self-assurance.
A great T20 side for the trophy
But it isn’t all about recent performances. The Englishmen have a formidable T20 side, to say the least. In Roy and Hales, England have one of the most destructive opening players in World Cricket right now. If India has Kohli, Australia Steve Smith, England are not too far behind with the virtuosic Joe Root. Perfectly complimenting the opening pair of Hales and Roy, Root can not only hold one end together, he can do it by scoring at a brisk pace of his own.
The return to form of captain Eoin Morgan in the last few games will serve as a huge boost to the English setup. A player who can graft if the situation demands and go hell for leather at the later stages of the innings is the very definition of a perfect number four.
For many, Ben Stokes is the best all-rounder in the world right now and it is not without reason. His international numbers may be far from impressive but the potential to be one of the best all-rounders in English history can be seen by all and sundry. If Stokes can find his feet in the tournament, the English side may well be on their way to an unexpected World Cup triumph.
Jos Buttler provides the finished touches to what is a menacing batting unit. A wicket keeper who can play at an alarming pace, Buttler has started to be more consistent – the only Achilles heel he has had over the years. With Buttler, it is safe to expect the unexpected. A cool, calm head, he has been known to finish matches more often than not and has proved his worth as a finisher time and again whilst both batting first or chasing.
In Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, along with Ben Stokes, the Englishmen have three all-rounders allowing them to play an extra batsman if they so wish. Undoubtedly, the duo of Rashid and Ali is the best spin duo the Englishmen have had in their armoury for a long, long time.
The Englishmen have traditionally faltered against spin on Indian pitches but in Hales, Root and Morgan, they have three wonderful exponents of countering the spinning delivery. If they play spin well, there is not much that can stop the English juggernaut from rolling on.
The only major issue with the side is the lack of a genuine pace spearhead. With no Broad or Anderson, the pace bowling of the Poms looks a bit inexperienced. However, the bowling doesn’t look all that bad with Jordan, Finn, Topley and Willey being the four pace options. If either one of them hits a rich vein of form, the Englishmen can strike off another worry from their agenda.
Indeed, the men from the England have nothing to lose. No one is giving them much of a chance and that is exactly what might work in favor of the Island Nation. After all, if they can make it to the semi-finals beating Sri Lanka, West Indies and Afghanistan, the format is such that all they need are a couple of really good performances to clinch the coveted silverware.
