T20 World Cup: Predicting where teams in Group 2 will finish

#3 New Zealand

New Zealand's hopes will rest on Kane Williamson

New Zealand have, historically, been labeled a side that has exceeded expectations, whether it be the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup or the 2019 edition. Now, though, with an ICC World Test Championship crown in their kitty, they are the cream of the crop – the team that is expected to be contesting the knock-out stages of any ICC event.

From that perspective, the Kiwis seem well-stocked for the T20 World Cup. Martin Guptill seems to be hitting the ball as nicely as he has done recently, whereas Kane Williamson’s class can never be doubted. Devon Conway has also taken to international cricket like a duck to water, while batters of the ilk of Glenn Philipps and James Neesham can provide the lower-order thrust the Black Caps crave.

Bowling wise, the presence of Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Southee and Trent Boult should hold them in good stead. Their spinners, namely Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner aren’t too shabby either.

The quandary, however, would revolve around how the Kiwis can adapt to their surroundings, considering their line-up isn’t necessarily suited to the conditions that the UAE will offer during the T20 World Cup.

With the willow, most of their batters, barring Williamson, seem a touch susceptible against spin – an aspect that was highlighted during New Zealand’s stunning collapse against England in the warm-up fixture at Abu Dhabi.

Even the skipper, despite his batting prowess, doesn’t have a great recent record in the middle overs – something that came to the fore in the IPL as well. Neesham and Phillips, meanwhile, also enjoy the ball coming on to the bat, meaning that run-scoring post the Power Play at the T20 World Cup could be tedious.

With the ball, the Kiwis might struggle at the death throughout the T20 World Cup. Ferguson has a tendency to leak runs. Trent Boult isn’t as good towards the end as he is at the start. Jamieson and Southee, too, seem to prefer bowling with the new ball – something that can be exploited by opposition teams.

Thus, New Zealand, despite seeming strong on paper, might just huff and puff against spin-heavy teams. And, with India and Pakistan in the mix, that fear might become a reality at the T20 World Cup.

Again, one can never count the Black Caps out of any contest. Yet, this time, a T20 World Cup semi-final might just be a bridge too far.

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#2 Pakistan

Can Babar Azam lead Pakistan to glory at the T20 World Cup?

Since the start of 2021, Pakistan have resembled a team in turmoil. They’ve seen other countries cancel tours to the nation and have also undergone wholesale changes at the boardroom level. They have also had to hire new coaches for the T20 World Cup.

Yet, because this is Pakistan, this could perhaps be where the dreariness of 2021 ends and gives rise to a glorious conclusion. After all, the Men In Green somehow seem to put their best foot forward when everyone has written them off.

Apart from that poetic inclination, Pakistan also have the players capable of performing in the UAE. Babar Azam has been brilliant over the past few months and has forged a terrific partnership with Mohammad Rizwan at the top of the order. Moreover, with most teams targeting the Power Play, Pakistan, courtesy of Babar and Rizwan, might have an edge in that department.

The middle order still seems a bit of a concern, especially with Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik not setting the world alight. Asif Ali has also not been able to translate his domestic success onto the international stage. However, Fakhar Zaman – a batter who was initially omitted but has now been drafted in, seems intent on proving a point.

On the bowling front, Pakistan have the variety and the raw pace they’ve almost always been synonymous with. Shaheen Shah Afridi can be a match-winner against most teams, with Haris Rauf and Hassan Ali having the ability to act as perfect foils.

Imad Wasim might also enjoy himself on the tacky surfaces in the UAE. And, while there is a bit of a cloud over Shadab Khan’s form, the leg-spinner has previously shown that he has the pedigree and of course, the experience to tide over it.

Thus, for the first time in a while, it seems that Pakistan have most bases covered heading into a T20 World Cup. Remember, the last time they made the semi-finals was way back in 2010.

Prior to that, it seemed that Pakistan were the nation to cracked the T20 World Cup code. Now, nearly 11 years later, they have a chance to prove that they’ve not forgotten what worked a charm in the 2000s.

And, considering everything that has unfolded with respect to Pakistan cricket in 2021, that might just come to fruition at the T20 World Cup.

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#1 India

Can Virat Kohli sign off his T20I captaincy stint with an ICC title?

India have been dubbed as favourites to win the T20 World Cup and rightly so. On paper, the Men In Blue seem to have two options for every possible slot and seem equipped to handle whatever opponents might have to throw at them.

At the top of the order, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma form one of the most belligerent pairs on the planet. With Rahul also adopting a carefree approach at the T20 World Cup, that particular partnership could assume worrying proportions for other teams.

Can Virat Kohli turn things around at the T20 World Cup?

Virat Kohli, despite not being among the runs, has a spectacular record in T20 World Cup cricket, meaning that India will bank on him to come up trumps at some stage in the UAE. Similarly, the experience of MS Dhoni, who has joined up as a mentor, would be invaluable, considering the calmness he exudes.

Lower down the order, Ravindra Jadeja has morphed into one of the best white-ball finishers in the world. Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav also seem to have stumbled upon the right formula for T20 cricket and that, coupled with Ishan Kishan’s proclivity to set pulses racing, makes India an exhilarating batting unit.

The only concern could be around Hardik Pandya’s form. Not only has the all-rounder not bowled since India’s tour to Sri Lanka, he has also looked a tad scratchy with the willow. However, with Shardul Thakur in the mix for the T20 World Cup, India seem to have a ready-made replacement – if they decide to omit Pandya.

Apart from that, India have the best bowling attack in the competition. Jasprit Bumrah provides pace and tactical expertise while Mohammed Shami has retained his uncanny knack of picking wickets. Bhuvneshwar Kumar also seems to be getting into his groove, with Jadeja equally capable of keeping a lid on the run-scoring.

The biggest X-Factor, though, could be Varun Chakravarthy – a mystery spinner who batters haven’t been able to decrypt. So far, India have used him sparingly but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he rocks up and single-handedly tilts the T20 World Cup in the Men In Blue’s favour.

Hence, India, despite not having played a game, seem the team to beat at this year’s T20 World Cup. Over the past few years, that has been the case countless times, only for India to wilt under pressure in the knock-out stages.

As far as the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup is concerned, the Men In Blue shouldn’t have too many problems breezing through it.