The ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2020 has been postponed for a year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic. Finally, the seventh edition of the T20 World Cup will begin on October 17 this year. The top two teams from each group of the Super 12 round will advance to the tournament's first elimination phase. Five Test-playing nations are expected to compete in each group. Among them, which two teams from Group 1 have the highest chance of qualifying for the semifinals in the T20 World Cup 2021? The favorites to qualify for the semi-finals from Group 1 are discussed in this article.
Favorites to qualify for semifinals from group 1 of Super 12 round
West Indies
Teams often emphasize including more experienced cricketers When they pick their World Cup squads. Because experience always comes in handy at a large event. The two-time T20 World Cup champion West Indies have selected 37-year-old veteran Ravi Rampaul in their squad, who was a key member of the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup-winning Windies side. Ravi Rampaul last played for the Windies in a match against Sri Lanka in 2015.
The selectors dropped Jason Holder to make a place in the team for Rampaul. Holder is an important part of the West Indies' current lineup, though his recent T20 performance has been underwhelming.
Overall, the Windies have a number of real match winners who can change the scenario of a game on their own. The Caribbean squad is the most balanced among the group 1 teams and they have a real opportunity to go to the T20 World Cup semifinals if they win at least three matches in the super 12 phase. They will be favorite against Sri Lanka (if they finish first in group A of the qualifying round), Scotland (if finish second in the group B of qualifying round) and South Africa.
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Five key players to keep an eye on
Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, and Hayden Walsh Jr
England
England will surely miss their star all-rounder Ben Stokes who has taken a break from cricket a few months ago. Nonetheless, England's team has some genuine match-winners. English players have improved a lot over the years As T20 players.
Led by captain Eoin Morgan, England's batting lineup is one of the finest in the world and they can step up to increase run rates when required. The England batting lineup is one of the finest in the world, and they have the ability to step up and increase run rates when necessary. English bowling unit has the capability to rattle the opposition batting order.
England are favorite against every opposition in group 1 including their arch-rival Australia. Though the match against the Windies will be a real test for England.
Five key players to keep an eye on
Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, and Adil Rashid
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Australia
Australia's most recent bilateral T20I series was against Bangladesh, which ended with a loss. Bangladesh won the series 4-1 despite the absence of a significant number of Australian players. As a result, Australia's World Cup preparations did not go as planned, and they are presently out of form.
Given that the team is Australia, they cannot be ruled out of contention. Led by Aaron Finch, Australia squad has some quality twenty20 players, including two of the top batsmen in the game, David Warner and Steve Smith. Australia must defeat either England or the West Indies in order to proceed to the knockout stage.
Five key players to keep an eye on
Aaron Finch, David Warner, Steve Smith, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh
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South Africa
South Africa used to rule international cricket, but that is no longer the case. A significant number of South African superstar cricketers have just retired, and the current batch of players cannot be expected to deliver much in the upcoming event.
Captain Temba Bavuma’s proteas side for the T20 World Cup 2021 has several competent players that can put up a good show during the main event. Will South Africa be able to finish in the top two in their group? It will be a difficult task for the South African team. Though anything is possible if South Africa can perform as a unit in the competition.
Five key players to keep an eye on
Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada
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Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's chances in this year's T20 World Cup are very slim, despite the fact that the team has some promising young players who might become big stars in the future. This Sri Lankan team will compete in the World Cup to gain experience. This knowledge will make them feel more confident about the forthcoming main events.
Sri Lanka will aim to win at least two games, one of which will be against South Africa. However, they do have a small possibility of making the top four.
Five key players to keep an eye on
Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando
Verdict
After looking at the teams' strengths, it's evident that West Indies and England are the favorites to advance to the semifinals. In addition, both Australia and South Africa have a high chance of performing well throughout the competition. Momentum is essential to succeed at the ICC's major event. Each team will strive to put up their best effort in the competition, with the best two teams of each group progressing to the T20 World Cup 2021's first knockout phase.