Melbourne May 6, 2010 (Crickettomorrow.com) - All favorites finally got through to the super eight of ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010. Only Bangladesh created some ripples. With proper match planning, better captaincy and little bit of luck they could win against both Pakistan and Australia. Lack of experience of winning against top opposition, wrong choice of bowling at the crunch time and required depth of batting against quality bowling cost Bangladesh the matches. Other small fishes Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan never looked like winning any match. Some matches were decided in Duckworth Lewis method. But apart from West Indies win against England others were won by deserving teams on the respective cases.

T20 World cup is now in business session. The teams which can raise their game at the right moment will go through to Semi finals. Teams are so equally matched. T20 needs one or two superlative performance. There are such players in each team. Few have fired others are big occasion players. Teams have not peaked yet. Weather permitting all matches will be crackers.

 

The super group line up reads

Group E: Pakistan, Newzealand, England, South Africa.

Group F: Australia, India, Srilanka, West Indies.

Group E appears relatively easier. Pakistan and South Africa are yet to peak. England struggled to qualify. Rain came as blessing against their cousins from Ireland. England may not survive the test of super eight. Pakistan will only improve from what they performed against Bangladesh and Australia. New Zealand and South Africa look much better prepared. If proteas do not choke like before they look semi final potential. Either New Zealand or Pakistan will join them. If Pakistan brings back Aaasif in the attack then Aaamer, Aasif, Afridi, Aajmal, Razzak and Hafiz will make lethal bowling attack. Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Afridi, Razzak, Umer Akmal, Misbahul Huq is all match winners.

South Africans are always very strong in any world cup but they always choke. Smith has a very strong unit now. Bosman, Kallis, Gibbs, Develliers, Duminy, Boucher, Albie Morkel are all explosive batsmen. Dayle Steyn, Morkel, Kallis, Botha, Duminy are match winning bowlers. South Africa is the only team that can rival Australia in fielding.

 

Judging from the current form Australia despite a serious hick up by the Bangladesh bowlers is the team of the tournament. Batting faultered against Bangladesh but no team could recover after loosing top six for minimum and rallying strongly to post winning total. The bowling in fast and penetrative, fielding is flawless. It will require a very co-ordinated performance by any opposition to move past resurging Aussies in the business session. Remember Warner, Watson, Clark, Haddin, David Hussey, Cameroon White failed to deliver yet. Mike Hussey and Smith could hold the post. Then Tait, Nannes, Harris, Smith could deliver knock out punch with Michel Johnson resting in the dug out. They do not mess up with easy catching opportunities rather take astonishing catches.

 

But Group F which has India, Sri Lanka and West Indies must be termed the group of death. Then they have formidable pace and spin attack. Any team on their day can roll over the other. Sri Lnaka with Mahela Jayewardene, Tilakaratne Dilshan, Sangrakara, Jayasuriya can smash any attack. Then they have formidable pace and spin attack.

India is very strong all round. Most of the players were in red hot form in the recent IPL. Gambhir, Vijay Murali, Raina, Yuvaraj, Dhoni, Yusuf Pathan are specialized T20 batsmen. But Indian bowling and fielding are relatively weak. If Dhoni can marshal his resources intelligently, India may hurdle across.

West Indies has explosive side and home advantage. Gayle and Chandra Paul are devastating openers. Sarwarn Fletcher, Pollard, Bravo, Ramadhin are explosive as well. Bravo and Pollard are the best late order batsmen in T20 now. Their actions can change the complexions in no time. West Indies has good enough bowling attack in their condition. Carribeans are hungry for success. Group F can be very difficult to predict.

But judging all corners we believe Australia and West Indies may make semis from the group.

The Semi final line up can be Pakistan v Australia and South Africa v West Indies.

It is impossible to predict winners. West Indies and Pakistan cricket in recent times have gone through series of crisis. For the greater interest of cricket, these two teams may better go through to make an epic final. Otherwise it will be Australia –South Africa vying for it. World cricket has seen enough of it.

 

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