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With the qualifiers and the first half of the Super 10 stage done away with, we are all set to move towards the business end of the ICC T20 World Cup 2016. It has been two weeks since the tournament began on 8 March 2016 and we have already seen some terrific cricketing action from the teams.While teams like New Zealand have sprung one surprise after another, others like Pakistan have flattered only to deceive. Since all teams have now played out their first two matches of the Super 10 stage, it is the perfect time to figure out where things stand for each of the teams in terms of their progress in the tournament.Here is our analysis:
#10 Bangladesh
The emergence of Bangladesh as a powerful cricketing nation in recent times has not only increased the expectations of their fans, but of the entire cricket fraternity. However, they have failed to live up to the hopes pinned on them with a dismal showing in the Super 10 stage of the T20 World Cup so far.
After clearing the qualifying stage with ease, the Bangladeshis suffered a setback when a desperate Pakistani team thrashed them by 55 runs. Their hopes of a revival were jolted further when they lost a couple of their top bowlers, courtesy of the recent chucking row. To add to it, they conceded their second match of the Super 10 to Australia by 3 wickets.
Verdict: There is very little scope for the Bangladesh team as far as qualification for the semi-finals is concerned. But they can surely play the role of party spoilers, especially for the Indian team.
#9 Afghanistan
The Afghanistan cricket team has made giant strides in international cricket over the past year or so. They qualified for the 50-over World Cup last year and followed it up by making it to the Super 10 stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup.
However, their performance in the Super 10 stage can be termed as spirited at best. In both their matches so far, the Afghans threatened to register an upset, but threw away the game at crucial junctures. In their match against South Africa, Afghanistan were 47 for no loss in 3 overs chasing 210 for a win; however, they lost track once Mohammad Shahzad was dismissed.
Verdict: Afghanistan’s dream of pulling off a miracle in the T20 World Cup is all but over, but they still have a chance of causing an upset if they can beat West Indies or England in their last two games.
#8 Sri Lanka
The defending champions have been in the worst of form over the past few months. They had a poor Asia Cup where they won just one match, that too against minnows UAE. The Sri Lankans did not convince many people with their 6-wicket victory against Afghanistan in their first match of the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup.
Things took a turn for the worse for Sri Lanka from there as they could manage just 122 in 20 overs in their next match against the West Indies. The men from the Caribbean made short work of the target and secured a comprehensive 7-wicket victory, leaving Sri Lanka’s campaign in tatters.
Verdict: Chances of a revival look slim for the Sri Lankan team as they confront England and South Africa in their remaining two matches. They will have to play out of their skins if they want a shot at retaining their T20 crown.
#7 Australia
The Australians were on a high coming into the T20 World Cup, having beaten South Africa 2-1 in a T20I series. However, they underwent a reality check in their very first game as they lost to rivals New Zealand by 8 runs. Australia looked good to win for most part of the match, but were undone by a resilient Kiwi side.
Although the Aussies did manage to win their match against Bangladesh by 3 wickets, it was not a very convincing win as they nearly messed up their chase of 157. The win helped Australia claim third position in the points table for Group 2 of the Super 10 stage.
Verdict: A huge challenge awaits the Australian team further in the tournament as they play their final two games against India and Pakistan. It will be interesting to see if they can peak at the right moment and take a step towards their first ever T20 World Cup title.
#6 Pakistan
Before the start of the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup, Pakistan were under immense pressure to perform as they had already put up a dismal showing in the recent Asia Cup. But they put it all aside in their first match of the tournament as they thrashed Bangladesh by 55 runs and announced themselves as contenders for the title.
There were hopes that the Pakistanis may finally break their losing streak against India in World Cup matches. As it turned out, though, they came out second best once again as they lost to their neighbours by a convincing margin of 6 wickets. ves as contenders for the title.
Verdict: The picture does not look rosy at all for Pakistan as they need to get the better of both New Zealand and Australia if they want to break into the final four. However, they cannot be written off purely because of their ability to spring a surprise.
#5 India
Hosts India were outright favourites to win their 2nd T20 World Cup title prior to the start of the tournament. However, their campaign got off to the worst possible as they succumbed to a largely unknown New Zealand spin attack on a rank turner at Nagpur.
The pressure was on the Indians going into the big clash against arch rivals Pakistan as a loss was going to hurt their chances of progressing to the semis. But they managed to get their mojo back, riding on a controlled bowling performance and a rock steady knock by ace batsman Virat Kohli. A victory by 6 wickets saw Team India open their account in the Group 2 points table.
Verdict: The Indian team may have gone past one hurdle but they still have two tough games left to play against Bangladesh and Australia. They need to keep the momentum going and preferably win both their matches in order to qualify for the semi-finals.
#4 South Africa
In every World Cup South Africa have played, irrespective of the format, they have been among the favourites and the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup is no exception. The Proteas made a blazing start to the tournament when they scored 229 against England in their first match.
However, they were done in by a magical performance by Joe Root, supported by a few other English batsmen, and lost the match by 2 wickets. The South African team posted a 200-plus score in their 2nd match against Afghanistan too and won the match by 37 runs despite a spirited batting performance by the minnows.
Verdict: The road ahead is not easy for South Africa as they still have matches against the West Indies and Sri Lanka left to play. They will need to bring out their A-game if they want to make it to the semis.
#3 England
Before the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup began, England were being touted as the dark horse to win by some experts. They made a good start to the tournament with the bat; however, they were unfortunate to run into a 'Gayle storm' while bowling and lost by 6 wickets.
The bowlers struggled on a flat Wankhede surface in the 2nd match against South Africa as well. But the batting, led by Joe Root, came good once again as the English team recorded a narrow 2-wicket victory in the game and put their campaign right back on track.
Verdict: England's last two matches of the Super 10 stage are against minnows Afghanistan and a weakened Sri Lankan side, so they have a genuine chance of qualifying for the semis.
#2 West Indies
The West Indies were looking in complete disarray prior to the start of the T20 World Cup. However, the manner in which they thrashed England in their first match of the tournament quelled any doubt about them being among the top contenders for the title. ify for the knockout round from here.
Although Chris Gayle did most of the damage with his century, one could make out that the men from the Caribbean had well and truly arrived. The West Indians won their 2nd game against Sri Lanka even more convincingly, that too without any contribution from Gayle, who was unable to bat due to an injury.
Verdict: Sitting pretty on top of Group 1, the West Indies are almost certain to qualify for the semi-finals as they need to win just one of their remaining two games.
#1 New Zealand
Going by the way they have performed so far, the Kiwis are clear favourites to qualify for the semi-finals of the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup. They started off the tournament with a comprehensive 47-run victory over a rampant Indian team. New Zealand's spinners destroyed India's famed batting line-up and dismissed them for a paltry 79.
Their next match against the Australian team went down to the wire, but the Kiwis held their nerve and registered an 8-run victory. The spinners played a significant role in this victory as well. The win placed New Zealand on top of the table in their group.
Verdict: With games against Pakistan and Bangladesh remaining, they are on course to make it to the semis. It will be a surprise if New Zealand do not qualify for the knockout round from here.
