The eighth edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is slated to be held Down Under from Oct. 16 to Nov.13. It is going to be an event of flashy lights, colorful attire, dancing girls, zinc cream and many skipping heartbeats! It is going to be a box office smash!

It is unlikely to be dull with 16 teams, of which eight are already in the final 12.

The teams in the qualifier rounds are Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Namibia in Group A, and Zimbabwe, Ireland, West Indies and Scotland in Group B. Two from each group will make it to the last 12, or the Super 12 stage.

The final Super 12s table looks like this:

Group 1	Group 2
Australia	India
New Zealand	Pakistan
Afghanistan	Bangladesh
England	South Africa
A1 (top-ranked team, Group A)	A2 (second-ranked team, Group A)
B2 (second-ranked team, Group B)	B1 (top-ranked team, Group B)

 

The T20 World Cup winner will be plusher by US$1.6 million, while the runner-up will go home with $800,000 and the losing semifinalists will net $400,000 each. The other teams will each collect $70,000 from a total purse of $5.6 million.

The toss has become the most important event of a match as this version of cricket has evolved over the recent past, and the common theme during the last T20 World Cup was “win the toss, win the match”.

As many as 45 matches will be played across seven venues in Australia. The first game will be played between Sri Lanka and Namibia, while the last game will be played between which teams?

Team analysis & predictions

(Previous winners and finalists only)

Australia

Players: Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Cummins, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa (Where is Cameron Green?)

Analysis: Australia has a conveyer belt of fantastic T20 players. Continuing from the last world cup, the Australians are still on the prowl. The batting lineup does not seem to end. It can go on until nine, 10 and Jack. Bowling is quite balanced, with an ideal mix of fast and slow. Added to it is the team’s fielding dexterity and home advantage: overall, a dangerous brew.

Prediction: Finalist, with the possibility of retaining the crown

Bangladesh

Players: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Mossadek Hossain, Litton Das, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain, Nasum Ahmed

Analysis: Going by its recent performance at the Asia Cup, Bangladesh is not in top form. It has the talents to knock off any team on its day, but lacks consistency. Bangladesh will ruffle a few feathers.

Prediction: Fourth in group

England

Players: Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Alex Hales

Analysis: Did England choose the right captain for this T20 World Cup? Ben Stokes would have made a better captain, as he brings a lot of affirmative approach to the game. England has a reliable cast of batters and respectable speed merchants. The spin division looks anemic, bar Adil Rashid.

Prediction: Semifinalist

India

Players: Rohit Sharma (captain), K.L. Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.

Analysis: The batting line up looks robust with the hope no fitness issues pop up. Fast bowling line up, with the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, looks run of the mill. Larger grounds in Australia could give the Indian spinners the plus.

Prediction: Semifinalist

New Zealand

Players: Kane Williamson (captain), Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Martin Guptill, Lachlan Ferguson, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Finn Allen

Analysis: The most consistent team in all Cricket World Cups from 1975 onwards. The Black Caps reached the finals of the last T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. They have excellent hitters and a respectable bowling lineup, both spin and speed, but seem to be missing the “X-Factor”.

Prediction: Third in group

Pakistan

Players: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Usman Qadir

Analysis: Although Pakistan recently lost to England 3-4 on the home turf, it looks to be the dark horse. Babar Azam and Shadab Khan are as exciting as can be imagined. Pakistan continues to produce exciting fast bowlers, but its fielding cannot be said to be the finest. If it breaks into the last two, it’s likely the result of singular virtuosity rather than forensic devising and detailing.

Prediction: Finalist

South Africa

Players: Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Heinrich Klaasen, Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Rillee Rossouw, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Analysis: If the recent tour of India reflects South Africa’s current state, then it has some jigsaws to locate. While David Miller and Rillee Rossouw are in prodigious form, the other batters have yet to find their mojo. The “big event syndrome” still seems to be the key concern.

Prediction: Third in group

Sri Lanka

Players: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Danushka Gunathilaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Dilshan Madushanka, Pramod Madushan

Analysis: Sri Lanka is a team under construction. A new bunch of talented cricketers has taken over for a remarkable win in the Asia Cup. However, its lack of familiarity with the springy Australian wickets will be a challenge for its new players. A tad underbaked.

Prediction: Fourth in group

West Indies

Players: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Rovman Powell, Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed Mccoy, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith, Shamarh Brooks

Analysis: The only team to win the T20 World Cup twice that is in the qualifiers: This says it all. Shimron Hetmyer (who has been dropped from the team) and Rovman Powell can kill any attack on their day. However, its overreliance on two or three players is a bother.

Prediction: Fifth in group

Fasten your seats belts for the most exciting and unpredictable T20 World Cup yet! The timing of the matches is suited to Indonesian cricket fans, as most matches are held in the afternoon, Jakarta time. Happy watching!

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The writer was president of Jakarta Cricket Association (JCA) in 2007 and 2008, and was the 2009 chairman of Cricket Indonesia (CI).