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 alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:55 pm

Blaming you , Duty , for calling it game over after Baartman's over Wink

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:57 pm

All the hard work was done after Baartman's full tosses, but not a single boundary since then. Just dots and singles.

Ah there's a boundary for Curran off a leg side ball. 9 from 3.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 6:57 pm

That's a fantastic catch at any time, let alone the situation. Running back with it coming over your shoulder like that is so so difficult.

Good knock from Brook but all SAs to lose now.

The full toss that should've gone the distance but removed Livi was a turning point it feels like.

It's been a bit of a bizarre but fun match to watch this one!

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:01 pm

So SA close it out...well done them. At least it hasn't hurt the England NRR so I'd still fancy them to get through...but that's another narrow win for SA . Are they going to finally shake the chokers tag this WC ?

by GSC Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:01 pm

Rescued defeat from the jaws of victory from the jaws of defeat in this one. Strange match all round.

Beat the US handily and it still should be enough to progress

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:02 pm

Seriously rubbish to lose that from a very strong position.

Need to get an extra bat in. Can't be having Curran at 7. Stop putting Moeen at 3/4. Put Brook up there, someone who can actually win games. Just think, if Brook came out at 4 today, England might have won.

Still in a good position to reach the semis. Beat the USA and should be through. Worst case scenario would be WI beating SA, creating a three way tie on four points, but England's NRR is still good and can be enhanced over the USA.

by guildfordbat Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:03 pm

king_carlos wrote:That's a fantastic catch at any time, let alone the situation. Running back with it coming over your shoulder like that is so so difficult.

Good knock from Brook but all SAs to lose now.

The full toss that should've gone the distance but removed Livi was a turning point it feels like.

It's been a bit of a bizarre but fun match to watch this one!

Yep, fantastic and crucial to SA's win but so was the over Markram astutely stole in for just 4 singles. Canny, clever cricketer.

by king_carlos Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:04 pm

A really good game to watch in the end but feels like an opportunity missed for England after those big overs against Rabada and Baartman.

I'm not convinced by this squad balance. I think you back the strength, get Jacks back in for maximum batting firepower. That way if Salt goes early you can send Jacks in to keep going hard. If the first wicket falls a bit later Bairstow can come in but should again be able to go harder due to the better batting depth.

Dilly and Maharaj were both very good on a conducive wicket. QdK was the pick of either sides batters by a distance though.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:07 pm

Game ultimately decided by some great outfield catches. Both sides took them . But SA bagged the decisive ones at the death. Would have been quite a feat if England had pulled off that chase after the situation they were in when Livingstone came in...but if that last shot of his had flown a bit further... Fun game to watch.

by alfie Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:13 pm

Don't mind the " extra batsman" idea - as long as Jacks doesn't bowl ! But it would mean you lose that flexibility with your bowling options . Guess it depends whether you are going to trust Livingstone and Moeen with four overs -between them- or more if someone else has a bad day.

by Duty281 Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:18 pm

Bad result for the West Indies as well. If England had won here, then the West Indies knew all they had to do was beat the USA and SA for guaranteed progression.

Now, presuming England beat the USA, the WI know the best they can do is two wins and needing to be at least second best in terms of NRR.

West Indies currently have the worst NRR of the three by a distance, so they'll be targeting a big win later over the USA.

by KP_fan Fri 21 Jun 2024, 7:47 pm

Must be a heartbreak for Eng to have lost after needing only 25 from last 3 with 6 wkts in hand
But
It would have been a heartbreak for SA had they lost from where they had Eng after 10 overs
But
After that bizarre & surreal passage of 3 overs of Rabada, Nortje & Baartman for 52 and with Bartman not able to land even one on the pitch, it seemed like SA had choked
But
Livingstone threw it away to a meat & drink full toss & a haunting end for Eng
In the End
Total Paisaa Wasool Game as it would be called in Hindi...i.e worth full value for money for a non-partisan viewer

Don't think Curran should have declined the single.
At half time I thought it was Eng's game to lose....and Eng it was who lost it...especially that SA had only one spinner & their express pacers are not really adept in pace change and bowling slow cutters.
Eng lost it in the first 10 overs...more precisely Moeen+Bairstow getting 25 runs in 5 overs.

From a Headstart to now Eng face an Eliminator if they slip vs USA

by alfie Sat 22 Jun 2024, 4:42 am

Big win for West Indies over outclassed USA : lifts the WI NRR way ahead of the rest in the group. So : in the last set of games :

IF SA beat WI they are through.
IF England beat USA so are they - unless (a) WI beat SA and both teams are ahead on NRR.
IF WI beat SA they are through - and SA would need to keep NRR ahead of England's.

(discounting USA beating England) Given the close figures (SA .625 , England .412), you'd think pretty much any England win over USA would tip them ahead of SA , should the latter lose to WI.

The wildcard of course is the spectre of rain washing out a match. Believe some forecast to be around in the England/USA game ... so keep those fingers crossed Smile

by KP_fan Sat 22 Jun 2024, 6:54 am

alfie wrote:Big win for West Indies over outclassed USA : lifts the WI NRR way ahead of the rest in the group. So : in the last set of games :

IF SA beat WI they are through.
IF England beat USA so are they - unless (a) WI beat SA and both teams are ahead on NRR.
IF WI beat SA they are through - and SA would need to keep NRR ahead of England's.

(discounting USA beating England) Given the close figures (SA .625 , England .412), you'd think pretty much any England win over USA would tip them ahead of SA , should the latter lose to WI.

The wildcard of course is the spectre of rain washing out a match. Believe some forecast to be around in the England/USA game ... so keep those fingers crossed

If SA lose narrowly to WI ie their NRR does not change
Then Eng need to beat USA by 20 runs or with 16 balls to spare to qualify ahead of SA, shows my quick and dirty calculation

by Duty281 Sat 22 Jun 2024, 10:32 am

alfie wrote:Big win for West Indies over outclassed USA : lifts the WI NRR way ahead of the rest in the group. So : in the last set of games :

IF SA beat WI they are through.
IF England beat USA so are they - unless (a) WI beat SA and both teams are ahead on NRR.
IF WI beat SA they are through - and SA would need to keep NRR ahead of England's.

(discounting USA beating England) Given the close figures (SA .625 , England .412), you'd think pretty much any England win over USA would tip them ahead of SA , should the latter lose to WI.

The wildcard of course is the spectre of rain washing out a match. Believe some forecast to be around in the England/USA game ... so keep those fingers crossed

And the USA could squeeze through with a big win, providing SA beat the West Indies!

South Africa might end up regretting letting the USA get relatively close in their game. England really should beat the USA in the penultimate game of the group (barring weather), then it's effectively a QF between WI and SA for the remaining place.

by Duty281 Sat 22 Jun 2024, 3:15 pm

This other group seems pretty settled, but an upset or two today would blow everything open.

Bangladesh the first up, bowling first v India.

by Duty281 Sat 22 Jun 2024, 7:11 pm

India hammered Bangladesh by 50 runs in a very one sided game. Australia can knock out both Bangladesh and Afghanistan with victory tonight, and seal themselves and India as the first two semi finalists.

India have all the tools to win this tournament and are the favourites on paper. But I just can't shake the nagging feeling that they're going to flop at the KO stage.

by KP_fan Sat 22 Jun 2024, 10:19 pm

I could watch only 14 overs of Indian innings.
Dubey delivered some big Sixes that he is in the side for and saved his place.

A perfect game for India, Bumrah still going at economy rates that would be deemed good on 1970 and upto mid 1980s scale of ODI economical bowling.

Afganistan can beat Aus &BD and bexome the other team from this group to make it to semis

by KP_fan Sun 23 Jun 2024, 7:37 am

Woke up to find Afganistan have completed the unfinished business from 50 over worldcup.
This time Maxwell although top scored could not repeat a miraculous escape for Aus.

If India and BD beat Aus and Afg by big margins......even BD can qualify.

Meanwhile I read on BBC
"Eng want to give USA a "Good Battering" says Harry Brook"

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Sun 23 Jun 2024, 7:39 am

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:
Duty281 wrote:

Presumably Australia will be forfeiting against Afghanistan ( ), so will be quite tough for the Aussies to squeeze through.

Can't expect the Aussies to have a stance when it actually matters Duty, cmon now...

What a delightful result to wake up too.

by VTR Sun 23 Jun 2024, 8:24 am

They should have boycotted the match, would have got the same amount of points

by GSC Sun 23 Jun 2024, 8:48 am

Hopefully Bangladesh don't knock it around and drag it out against Afghanistan!

by KP_fan Sun 23 Jun 2024, 10:35 am

Actually all teams still in semis contention, with only one game each left

by Duty281 Sun 23 Jun 2024, 10:37 am

It's an upset, but not a big one. As I said earlier in the tournament, Afghanistan have the weaponry to beat any team in the world at T20, and they've proved it here.

It seemed that 148 was a little light. Wonderful platform by Gurbaz and Zadran, but neither kicked on successfully with the aggression and no one really backed it up lower down the order.

But the bowling effort was extraordinary as they chipped away constantly at the Aussies. And the more remarkable thing was the two star bowlers, Farooqi and Rashid Khan, only picked up one wicket between them. The main efforts were from Naveen and Gulbadin, who bowled some brilliant slower balls in that innings.

Superb result and makes the group interesting.

India beating Australia and Afghanistan beating Bangladesh will put India and Afghanistan into the semis. Afghanistan winning and Australia winning will set up a three way tie, decided by the best two on NRR, which is likely to exclude Afghanistan, unless they hammer Bangladesh (and/or Australia annihilate India). Bangladesh can also get through if they win and Australia lose, but that requires a huge turnaround in NRR.

Afghanistan/Bangladesh is the last game, so Afghanistan will know whether they need to just win, or win by a lot, by the time they take the field.

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 10:37 am

Having been out in the country all day got quite a shock to come home to this result ! Despite having a deal of respect for Afghanistan's spinners I didn't give them a hope of upsetting Australia...had to read through all the Cricinfo comms to see how the devil this happened. Seems choosing to bowl first backfired on Australia - as it has done on quite a few teams at this WC already.

Result leaves the Afghans with a huge chance to make the KOs : they really ought to slaughter Bangladesh so if India win they'd go through for sure ; but a really big win for them might also enable them to pass India's run rate , should that team lose to Australia. What was potentially two dead games has turned into a real group-of-death final game shootout.

Can't tell from your post above , KP_fan , whether you are expecting India or Australia to win their vital last game ?

And Harry Brook might have chosen his words better. Obviously they want to win decisively ; but that sounds a bit clumsy and disrespectful.

by Duty281 Sun 23 Jun 2024, 10:46 am

I think we might see a switch to teams batting first if they win the toss, because pitches have generally been slowing up quite a bit in the second half. We saw that with Afghanistan/Australia, we also saw it with England/South Africa.

Weather not looking good for either two games today, but we'll see what happens. Two washouts would put the WI through ahead of England. If we do get play, England really don't need to worry about NRR, because a win and a South Africa loss will almost certainly leave SA as the team to exit (current NRR is 0.625 for SA and 0.412 for Eng). And a SA win guarantees England's progress with a point or two.

England still expected to have Moeen in the top four. Doh

England still expected to leave the balance with Curran at 7, and no Jacks/Duckett. Doh

by KP_fan Sun 23 Jun 2024, 10:49 am

alfie wrote:

Can't tell from your post above , KP_fan , whether you are expecting India or Australia to win their vital last game ?

And Harry Brook might have chosen his words better. Obviously they want to win decisively ; but that sounds a bit clumsy and disrespectful.

I think Ind has the most terrific bowling combination along with Afg for the conditions
And may be Ind is slightly better than Afg on Pace resources because of Bumrah,
Spin they are equal.

So it's appearing a tournament where bowlers have been able to defend paltry totals and that gives India the edge.
We have to see how Ind can restrict Aus if they have to bowl first.....Ind look favorite.

Re: Brook's statement.
These things sure are discussed in dressing room by players and on forums by fans.......but rarely said by players on record

by Duty281 Sun 23 Jun 2024, 1:45 pm

Currently dry in Barbados, but a lot of rain forecast to hit soon.

But these forecasts have been wrong before...

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 2:43 pm

Duty281 wrote:Currently dry in Barbados, but a lot of rain forecast to hit soon.

But these forecasts have been wrong before...

Cricinfo saying forecast improved and currently bright and sunny... guess we will find out soon enough.

by king_carlos Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:05 pm

alfie wrote:
Duty281 wrote:Currently dry in Barbados, but a lot of rain forecast to hit soon.

But these forecasts have been wrong before...

Cricinfo saying forecast improved and currently bright and sunny... guess we will find out soon enough.

George Dobell was saying yesterday that the Barbados rain has been frequent but generally blowing through fairly quickly. As opposed to the England vs Scotland in Bridgetown where the heavens opened and were not closing. We'll see what happens but I'd be surprised if they didn't get enough overs to constitute some sort of match.

England doubling down. Same balance, same expected batting line-up, winning toss and bowling.

I like this England team chasing, so the last doesn't bother me. I'd have brought Jacks in at the very least though. Be it for Livi or Surran. I'd have been very tempted by Jordan for Wood too. It just isn't feeling like pitches that suit Wood's express pace without changeups.

by Duty281 Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:05 pm

England bowling first after winning the toss.

Jordan in for Wood.

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:06 pm

So Jos wins another toss...and no intention of changing plans as they've chosen to field again.

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:07 pm

Be nice if they could actually take some wickets in the first few overs for a change.

by king_carlos Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:09 pm

Ah, just seen Jordan in for Wood, sorry. I like that. Use Jof more as strike bowler to target spin hitters if needed. Then maybe only hold one Jof over back for the death if you really have to. Topley, Surran and Jordan can all bowl in the death via different skills. One which should suit different conditions by hook or by crook!

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:33 pm

Not taking anything for granted after that Australia/Afghanistan result... main danger I guess is letting US post a decent score and then finding the pitch gets trickier as the day goes on.Where have I seen that before Wink

But honestly, no disrespect to the Americans, but if England can't beat them they deserve to go home... Not a great start from Topley

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:34 pm

Haha...brilliant jinx ...I'll take that Wink

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:56 pm

Topley rather more expensive than usual. Nitish landing some handy blows...Taylor gone though , excellent catch Moeen !

by Duty281 Sun 23 Jun 2024, 3:59 pm

Not a bad PowerPlay from the USA, England once again a little lacking.

Time for Rashid.

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:04 pm

Rashid good as ever. Let's see what Livingstone will do now...always makes me a bit nervous

by KP_fan Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:06 pm

Pitch is slow & gripping & pace-off too is effective.
Wonder if Eng will be left ruing ther decision to put US in.

150 will be a game on if US can muster that much

by king_carlos Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:08 pm

I felt like Topley in particular bowled better than his figures there to be fair. A few miss hits/edges just missing fielders.

The spinners are getting purchase and looking tough to play already. Pinching things and dragging the RR down well below 7 already.

Dilly gets a wicket as a type that. He's bowled absolutely superbly this tournament.

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:17 pm

Spinners have stifled the scoring after that decent US power play. Does look as though pace off could be the go today. Afraid I really don't know much about the US spin bowlers but they're probably not quite as good as Rashid...there is his second

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:34 pm

Useful spell from Livingstone. Just 24 conceded and a wicket to finish. Guess these two American bats are their remaining hopes of a big finish so not surprisingly Rashid is back up...

by king_carlos Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:34 pm

Yep, pace off really working once again. Jordan for Wood looking like the right call.

It adds much needed depth in the lower order too. Jof at 8 is too high, particularly with Mo in the top 5. Surran at 7 I don't actually think is too high. He can really bat. It was having no real batting nous below that which the SA chase brought to the fore. Jof and Wood can swing wildly but aren't going rotate strike smartly. Dilly used to be able to still play like a batter just without the same power anymore, but I'm sceptical that his eyes are good enough to even do that now! Topley is a proper rabbit. Jordan adds a very useful number 8 who can hit and has that bit of batting nous to get his partner on strike if required.

Livi gets a wicket with the last ball of a good spell.

England have once again squeezed very well through the middle overs. Whilst the PP hasn't been great, the middle overs bowling and fielding have been consistently good.

by Duty281 Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:37 pm

Could have given Hartley a go with all this turn. Still yet to make a debut and his selection in the squad looks increasingly bizarre.

If England make the semis, and if Rashid gets struck down by injury or illness, then Hartley will have to make his T20i debut in a semi-final!

Great from Rashid again. England's plan is essentially limit the damage from the PowerPlay, then in Rashid we trust for the middle overs, and hope the wheels don't come off at the end.

by GSC Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:38 pm

Another excellent game for Rashid. 5 to go, looks like it needs a big effort from Anderson to set a decent total

by Duty281 Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:41 pm

Oh and what is this 'skill scale' rubbish that keeps popping up?

Seems to be entirely random numbers produced.

by KP_fan Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:52 pm

This is not an easy pitch and with 5 down...that Curran over of 14 is worth gold for USA....wicket notwithstanding

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:53 pm

Was a brilliant spell from Rashid. And impressed by Jordan's over then. Glad to see Curran not badly damaged by his earlier tumble - but his figures are taking a battering here...somewhat redeemed by the last ball wicket. Fine catch Jordan...

by alfie Sun 23 Jun 2024, 4:59 pm

Jordan having quite a day ! Three in the over and a shot at number 11 for a hat trick...

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