2024 T20 World Cup

by Duty281 Wed 22 May 2024, 12:04 pm

First topic message reminder :

Just over a week away now from some glorious six-hitting in the cricketing heartlands of Barbados, Trinidad, Saint Lucia and, um, New York City.

England are defending the crown they won at the MCG in front of 80,000 people in November 2022. They'll probably be hoping it goes a bit better than their defence of the 50 over title! The tournament is, as T20 competitions are, very wide open. If England were to win it again they'd be the first men's team to win back to back World T20 titles in the history of the competition.

Chasing them keenly are the bookmakers favourites India, who are very, very thirsty because of a drought that has existed since 2013 in ICC tournaments. Australia will obviously be there or thereabouts, and there's plenty of excitement around the West Indies, twice winners of this competition, and how glorious it would be to see them lift a trophy at home.

Or perhaps South Africa will finally stop being Tottenham and actually win something? But it's T20. So it could be anyone. Ireland, Scotland, Uganda....USA?

I thought the format of the last couple of T20 World Cups was absolutely perfect. Naturally, then, the ICC have altered it for this year! So we've now got 20 teams, up from 16, and 55 matches in total, up from 45.

There's no preliminary round this time. All teams start off the same. Four groups of five teams. All play each other once. Top two in each group go through to the Super 8s. Super 8s is split into two groups of four. No points are carried over and all teams play each other once in the Super 8s. Top two in each Super 8 group go through to the semi-finals, from which it's a straight knockout. Means a team will play nine games if they are to lift the trophy, in comparison to England's seven games to win it in 2022.

One curious thing about the format, and the ICC love curious things (such as there being no reserve day for one semi-final), is that the finishing places in the initial group are seeded. For example, England are designated B1 in their group, and Australia are B2, which means that it's irrelevant if England come first or second. They will go through to Group 2 of the Super 8s regardless of finishing first or second. I suppose it guarantees certainty for fans, as they know where teams are playing after the initial group stage.

While I don't think it's been directly said, the draw was not a fair and open one. It took place behind closed doors and ensured India/Pakistan were in the same group, as well as some other long-standing rivalries, such as USA v Canada. I'm surprised the ICC didn't put India and Pakistan in the same Super 8 group as well! The groups are:

Groups:

The fixture list is all over the place with timings, so try and keep up! If you're in the UK, games can start at 01:30, or they might begin at 18:00, and quite a few matches seem to overlap in the early stages.

Fixture List (All times BST):

Squads (Not yet finalised):

Outright Odds (Bet365):

The USA and Canada will be starting this one off in Texas. That's the most unlikely cricket sentence ever uttered.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:39 pm

Wow. There's some luck involved in that from Jos. I reckon he's no real idea if he's actually aiming at the stumps when he releases that. You've got to have the athleticism to put yourself in with a chance of getting lucky though!

Great stuff. England have fought back excellently here.

Markram ahead of Stubbs shows that SA are feeling that pinch too.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:41 pm

GSC wrote:de Kock currently has twice as many sixes as the rest of the team have boundaries. Weird innings so far

A bit of a Rohit Sharma type knock where he looks like he's on a different wicket to everyone else. It makes it hard to judge what par is.

I think England have got their selection better than SA though. I'm happy they don't have Shamsi when spin has generally looked tough.

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:44 pm

Rashid 1/20 from four. Superb. clap

I was really surprised SA left out Shamsi, with these pitches in the Caribbean expected to be more conducive to spin.

Five overs left. England have a good chance to keep SA below 170.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:47 pm

Rashid again proving he's the key man for England . 1/20 from his four...Really dragged SA back after that bright start. Last five overs and SA will want to motor...

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:49 pm

Wood a bit loose that over. So what , Topley , Archer two and Curran to finish ?

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:53 pm

alfie wrote:Wood a bit loose that over. So what , Topley , Archer two and Curran to finish ?

That'd be my route. I'd have probably bowled Jof here so that he gets overs 17 and 19, rather than 18 and 20. That's splitting hairs though.

The Wood gamble not really paying off today. They've not even used Livi on a pitch where spin looked tough.

by GSC Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:55 pm

Tidy 4 from Topley

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:56 pm

Only 23 runs from Topley's 4 overs. 3 of those overs in an explosive PP and one at the death too. Excellent once again. He's nailed on for the first choice XI now. clap

I wonder if the worry about two left-arm seamers getting lined up is preventing them going with Topley and Surran first up? Surran's PP numbers are generally really good but England have shifted away from using him there.

by GSC Fri 21 Jun 2024, 4:57 pm

Maybe Livi should've got some overs? Pace seems to helping the batsmen on this track

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:03 pm

Topley's been excellent for a while, it's just a shame injury has curtailed his last two tournaments.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:05 pm

Livingstone might have been worth a shot. But he did go for a few against West Indies so you can see why they decided not to risk him. I'd have used Curran first up rather than Moeen ...but again it is something you could reasonably argue each way. 155 off 19. Has Jofra got a good finish in him ? Oh well caught young Harry ! That might be an important late wicket...

by GSC Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:06 pm

Vital 40 odd to get a score on the board but maybe needed one more good over

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:07 pm

And another excellent catch by Sam Curran ! That was an outstanding piece of fielding. Archer on a hat trick ...

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:11 pm

163. Instinctively reckon that's sub-par...but I guess we have to wait until both teams have batted on this Wink

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:12 pm

Like the West Indies game, a good comeback after the PowerPlay.

Should chase this down, but I'm conscious that Buttler/Salt have been in strong form and they're perhaps due for a failing.

by GSC Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:12 pm

Difficult to know what to make of that. de Kock and Miller played well and nobody else managed much

164 felt well short after the power play but based on the rest this might be a tricky chase

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:13 pm

Marvellous from Brook that. He made a tough catch look regulation. It's been about as good a response as you could hope after the PP.

I was thinking I'd risk Livi for the over where Jof got QdK. Pace came back on there as Klaasen is so good against spin. It worked too. Albeit getting QdK rather than Klaasen. Instinctively, it feels like getting Wood's 2 overs from Mo and Surran (one left apiece) or Livi would be possible for similar cost. It's completely possible that Livi goes for 20-odd with the wrong matchup though. Hard to say.

I'm leaning further towards bringing Jacks or even Jordan in for Wood. Jacks adds the batting power. Jordan is a more versatile bowler, plus he's brilliant in the field and a better number 8. I do worry that all it takes is a batter who doesn't like pace but smashes everything else to get going and suddenly I'd really want the option of 2 overs from Wood. In that regard, it's interesting that Jof came back ahead of for the Klaasen matchup though...

164 to win then. Brilliant from England after the bad PP. That's as good as we could've hoped for in the circumstances. Over to the batters.

by KP_fan Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:13 pm

Not enuf I think, and SA dropped their 2nd spinner also.
They have runs on the board and pace off is the way for even seamers to bowl

At half time, it's Eng's game to lose I would say

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:33 pm

Ooft. Another excellent catch for the day. That's brilliant from Hendricks considering how fast it's travelling. Salt hit that well.

How can Bairstow target the PP with fielders up then? It's generally where he's done his best batting in white ball cricket.

by guildfordbat Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:37 pm

king_carlos wrote:Only 23 runs from Topley's 4 overs. 3 of those overs in an explosive PP and one at the death too. Excellent once again. He's nailed on for the first choice XI now.

I wonder if the worry about two left-arm seamers getting lined up is preventing them going with Topley and Surran
first up? Surran's PP numbers are generally really good but England have shifted away from using him there.

Hi Carlos - Don't disagree with you at all about Topley but do want to see him get something in the end column. He still hasn't taken a wicket in this World Cup. Others are probably cashing in on his tidy PP overs.

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:40 pm

That drop was comedic.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:44 pm

Duty281 wrote:That drop was comedic.

Yep. Properly rubbish. In contrast to Jos x 2, Brook, Surran and Hendricks.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:46 pm

Despite looking more akin to late career Gatting or Botham, I do think Bairstow is running between the wickets a bit quicker again. Nowhere near where he was when he'd have been in the discussion with guys like Warner and Dhoni as one of the quickest in the game between the wickets. I think he is noticeably quicker than he's otherwise been since the leg break. Maybe my memory is being harsh but it felt like he was approaching end career Chris Gayle type sauntering at one stage after he first returned!

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 5:56 pm

Hmmm. Mo up the order. He's usually there to target spin, but SA only have the one notable spinner. Maybe it'll force Nortje to be used earlier? I feel that Brook would've been better there.

The pitch looks even slower now. Buttler is looking very content to just rotate strike at the moment.

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:01 pm

Buttler picks the man in the deep, South Africa certainly ahead now.

Really tired of Moeen getting promoted to 3/4. Chance for Brook to play a big innings here.

by KP_fan Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:02 pm

Now it's looking like the last 10 overs of SA inning were par.
And Eng gave away too many in first 10

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:03 pm

Pitch looking rather difficult for strokemaking. England well behind the rate at the moment and I think they're in big trouble. Going to need some magic from someone here or SA will be bagging a pretty handy 2 points - and a likely handy NRR advantage

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:04 pm

Oh dear. Buttler and Bairstow both sucking up balls and taking it easy for the PP but neither going on.

SA well ahead with the wicket looking tough to bat on.

Really big opportunity for Brook but there's a long tail to come with Jof at 8.

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:06 pm

South Africa have been accurate but, like the Australia game, England are just passively chewing up balls and putting no pressure on South Africa whatsoever.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:06 pm

Markram on. I think Mo needs to effectively ignore the wicket column here and target him. It's what Mo comes up the order to do.

No point keeping wickets in hand if the RRR gets too high on a tough pitch to score boundaries on.

4 singles from it. Not looking great!

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:09 pm

Duty281 wrote:South Africa have been accurate but, like the Australia game, England are just passively chewing up balls and putting no pressure on South Africa whatsoever.

Yep. It's looking a bit dependent on Salt to put pressure back on just now. Buttler and Bairstow both tried to play anchor type innings. One of them needed to show some more intent or you need Jacks back in as that option to come in during the PP if Salt goes early.

Passive sums it up well since Salt got out.

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:11 pm

Stop putting Moeen at 3/4!!!!!! He's a 6/7 who might whack something late on, not someone who can play a leading role in an innings.

Most overrated English cricketer ever.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:11 pm

I suppose it was fairly apparent as the SA innings progressed that the pitch was a bit slow and tricky. But I guess most of us felt England would be able to handle it given the RRR was only 8 to start with. SA have bowled well though and none of the batsmen have yet been able to find any fluency. Big finish not impossible perhaps but with most of the best hitters out already I fear that is a forlorn hope...as Moeen goes to leave it four down... if Brook and Livingstone have any miracles in their kitbag, now would be a good time...

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:14 pm

Hitting straight into the wind there. Poor shot selection having let the RRR get too high.

It's been another frustrating watch similar to the second half of the Australia chase.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:23 pm

Also I'm not sure they were deliberately being passive . More that they couldn't get any timing in their shots. Apart from de Kock , and Miller to a degree , no one has really been able to get hold of the bowling today. Going to need a mighty meltdown by the SA bowling to lose from here. England choosing to bowl first has arguably proved a mistake - although SA were apparently going to do the same. Anyway it seems Brook is getting into gear so hope not quite extinct...though I think you'd get good odds at the betting shop...

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:31 pm

Brook kicking into gear. LL with a few shots also.

59 from 30. Not impossible. Nortje's two overs will be key.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:32 pm

Needed a couple of big overs...that was one of them ! But with only Curran to come followed by a herd of rabbits these two bats have it all to do...

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:37 pm

Harsh call of wide there ! If I'd bowled that I'd have been seriously pi..ed off. Another 13 runs from the over though...getting a bit tighter.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:39 pm

alfie wrote:Harsh call of wide there ! If I'd bowled that I'd have been seriously pi..ed off. Another 13 runs from the over though...getting a bit tighter.

Truly poor call. I'd be spitting as Nortje. This IPL season was a bit of a farce in places with the flat pitches and impact player rule. I like that you can review wides and no ball (i.e. waist high one) calls though. Errors such as that should just get corrected by the TV umpire similar to calling front foot no balls IMO.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:41 pm

46 from 4 overs. RRR under 12.

2 boundaries to start the over. England ahead now even with the long tail. If they can get Brook, I could see it falling in bundle very quickly.

Oh, Livi. Very good. 6 as I type that. 14 from the first 3 deliveries. Is England's "non finishing finisher" actually going to finish one...?

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:41 pm

Horror over of full tosses from the man brought in for Shamsi. That's the game, barring a ridiculous collapse.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:42 pm

Hmm. What was i saying about bowling meltdown ? That's three full tosses in a row from Baartman...make it four now ! And another one to end a 21 run over ...

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:44 pm

Duty281 wrote:Horror over of full tosses from the man brought in for Shamsi. That's the game, barring a ridiculous collapse.

Baartman looks like his only death option is the yorker. This is the issue with yorkers. High risk.

That Rabada over prompted Nortje coming back sooner than I'd guess Markram was planning.

Really good from Livi and Brooks to capitalise though. England's to lose now. This has been an odd game to watch.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:45 pm

But another full toss...from Rabada ...has got the wicket of Livingstone. Nice catch in the deep. Thought that was going for six but that's a big moment...

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:47 pm

Yeah, that was a 6 ball but Livi has just skied it. The non finishing finisher doesn't finish it off. Still a decent knock in the circumstances though.

All the pressure on Brook now. Surran should be smart and skilled enough to just get him on strike.

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:49 pm

This draws a bit of attention to not picking Jacks/Duckett.

The game coming back to SA, if they get Brook out...

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:51 pm

Not counting any chickens yet. If Brook gets out this can still go south quickly. Can't complain about lack of excitement tonight. Still need a boundary or two here as its 200% striking required.and sixes haven't been easy today...

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:52 pm

Oh dear, up to 14 off the last.

Back in SA's favour. Need to clear the ropes at least once.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:53 pm

Good over from Jansen. Need 14 off the last so Nortje should win this for SA now

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:54 pm

And that's probably it. Good effort from Brook, but England just froze after LL's wicket.

I haven't been content with the balance since they removed Jacks, and this is why. Was it worth picking Wood over Jacks/Duckett for just his two overs.

by Sponsored content