5 reasons why Australia could win the World T20

It is always a big mistake to write off the prospects of a team like Australia winning a major ICC tournament. Not many people gave the Aussies a chance of emerging as champions prior to the ICC World Cup last year, yet they fought all odds to bring the coveted trophy back to their country.Although the World T20 section of the Australian trophy cupboard remains bare, they have every chance of winning their first title this time around. There are a number of important factors which make them one of the primary contenders for becoming the reigning champions in both limited-over formats.Here are 5 reasons why Australia could win the World T20:

#1 Terrific opening duo of Warner and Finch

Finch and Warner – Australia’s deadly opening duo

One of the key strengths for Australia in the batting department has been the competent opening pair of David Warner and Aaron Finch. While Finch is among the best batsmen in T20Is at present, Warner's prowess in the shortest format is known to everyone.

Together, they make for a great combination at the top of the order for the Australians and have been producing the goods for quite some time now. It will be important for teams to get off to a solid start during the World T20 if they are to get big scores.

More often than not, the Aussies have managed to score big runs whenever Finch and Warner have managed to click as a pair.

#2 Plenty of big-hitting batsmen

Maxwell can floor any team with his hitting

Australian batting line-ups over the years have been known to possess some fearsome big-hitting talent and their squad for the upcoming World T20 is no exception. With the tournament being played in India, where pitches are generally great for batting, Australia's big hitters could have a crucial role to play.

Glenn Maxwell, Shane Watson, Mitchell Marsh and James Faulkner are all highly capable of clearing the field with ease and could thrive on the smaller Indian grounds. The opposition teams may run into deep trouble if even one of them gets going.

Maxwell, in particular, could turn out to be Australia's trump card as his range of shots is much wider compared to most of the others.

#3 A good mix of all-rounders

Watson is one of the best all-rounders in T20 cricket

T20 cricket is a game which is made for allrounders and the Australian team is fortunate enough to have several good ones in their squad for the World T20. The highly experienced Shane Watson has performed superbly in the past for his team and may have a major role to play in the tournament.

In James Faulkner, the Aussies have a smart limited-overs bowler who can be more than just a handful with the bat. Mitchell Marsh has picked up his performances in recent times and could prove to be useful with both bat and ball.

As far as spin-bowling allrounders are concerned, there is Glenn Maxwell who can bowl quite decently and newcomer Adam Zampa also looks to be an exciting prospect. Australia could ride their all-round strength to take home the trophy that has eluded them so far.

#4 Valuable knowledge of conditions due to IPL experience

James Faulkner is one of the many Aussies in the IPL

Perhaps the one foreign team which is represented the most at the Indian Premier League is Australia. In fact, quite a few of the players from the squad which will be visiting India for the 2016 World T20 have had longish stints in the world's biggest domestic T20 league.

David Warner, Shane Watson, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, James Faulkner and skipper Steven Smith have all spent a number of years playing IPL cricket for some of the major teams. Watson has been around since the very first edition and also received the Player of the Series award in the same year for helping Rajasthan win the title.

This implies the fact that their knowledge of the conditions in India is far greater compared to most of the other foreign teams, making them one of the top contenders for the title.

#5 Steven Smith\'s captaincy

Steven Smith has done quite well as skipper so far

Australian cricket has entered a new era ever since Steven Smith took over as full-time skipper in Tests as well as ODIs. Just prior to the start of the World T20 in March, Smith has also been given charge of the T20I side, replacing Aaron Finch at the helm of affairs.

The young champion's record as captain in Tests has been quite impeccable and Australia won 4-1 in the last ODI series against India at home under him as well. Smith's leadership could turn out to be a jinx-breaker for the Aussies as far as the World T20 is concerned.

His presence as a batsman will also play a crucial role in determining Australia's chances and if he performs to his potential, Steve Smith may be the one laying his hands on the trophy.