Despite the country having a strong association with T20 cricket, India have only once lifted the T20 World Cup since the tournament was inaugurated in 2007.
Later this year they have a great chance of getting their hands on the trophy, when they host the competition.
India have plenty of T20 Specialists to choose from
India have depth in their ranks which is unmatched by their rivals. Finalising their squad for the tournament in October is not going to be easy. But this competition for places should ensure the 11 players who make the starting line-up, are capable of coming out on top.
Virat Kohli’s men will have the benefit of batting and bowling on surfaces which they will be very familiar with. As we saw at the Cricket World Cup in 2019, England took advantage of being hosts to win that tournament for the first time.
India’s batting line-up is built with explosive players who are all capable of winning a match on their own. They have a lot of experience at the front end of the card, with KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Kolhi.
Then there is Hardik Pandya in the middle of their order. The Mumbai Indians star is one of the most dangerous T20 players in the world at the moment. As we saw in the 2020 IPL.
Although it is often their batsmen who grab the headlines, India’s bowling attack in the T20 format of the game is very strong. Jasprit Bumrah spearheads it, but he has a lot of support from the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal and Washington Sundar.
The bookmakers make India the 5/2 favourites in the cricket betting for the trophy. They look an excellent bet at those odds to prevail 14 years after their first success in the competition. The whole of India will be behind them and this team will want to make their country proud once again.
Afghanistan May Cause A Surprise or Two
If it is an outsider you are looking to back at the T20 World Cup this year, Afghanistan are a team which should be on your radar. They have come a long way since making their debut in the tournament in 2010. And they are now capable of getting big results against the top nations.
Spinner Rashid Khan is one of the most valuable players in the world in this format of the game. The 22-year-old will lead the team. Despite his young age, Khan has plenty of experience of playing at the highest level in the big franchise leagues.
Although Khan is a matchwinner, Afghanistan are not a one-man team. Hazratullah Zazai is a player to look out for with the bat. He hit an unbeaten 162 in a T20 international against Ireland in 2019 on the way to his side scoring the highest ever international total at 278-3.
Afghanistan are 33/1 shots for the tournament later this year. This can be backed each-way, so if they did reach the final, you would pick up a return. They should also be favoured to beat the likes of Sri Lanka and West Indies if they meet them at some stage of the competition.
The final of T20 Cricket World Cup is set to take place on the 14th November. If India reach the final, it is likely to have one of the biggest viewing figures in the history of a cricket match.
