Just 11 months after the Aussies claimed T20 World Cup glory, their title defence commences, and on home soil at that. Can the Aussies back up their title? Find out in our Major Guide.
The qualifying stages for the 2022 T20 World Cup have kicked off, with eight teams vying for a qualifying spot in the ‘Super 12s’ stage of the Tournament.
Aptly, the Super 12s stage of the 2022 World Cup will kick off the same way the 2021 edition ended – with Australia facing New Zealand.
The trans-Tasman rivals will face off at the SCG in a rematch of the 2021 final, when the Aussies claimed their first ever T20 World Cup title.
The 2022 edition is another first – it’s Australia’s first time hosting a T20 World Cup tournament, and should the Aussies take home the Cup again, it’ll be the first time a host nation has won a home T20 World Cup title.
But there’s a long way to go until the final, so let’s take a look at how it’s all set to play out.
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The Groups & Pools
The action’s already underway in the qualifying groups, with Sri Lanka and the West Indies highlighting the nations after a Super 12s spot.
Group A consists of Sri Lanka, Namibia, the Netherlands and the UAE, while Group B features the West Indies, Ireland, Scotland and Zimbabwe.
In Super 12 Pool 1, Australia will face off against Afghanistan, England and New Zealand. The top-ranked nation from Group A and the runner-up of Group B will also qualify and join Pool 1.
Super 12 Pool 2 features India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa, as the winner of Group B and runner-up of Group A make up the final two spots.
Contenders
Australia
As the host nation, there’ll be plenty of eyeballs on the Aussies. On home turf, the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa have a big chance to shine with the ball, while David Warner, Mitch Marsh and Aaron Finch highlight a top order who’ll look to cash in on the familiar batting pitches.
India
Wherever there’s T20 Cricket glory, India won’t be far behind. Skipper Rohit Sharma will lead India into the tournament, with Virat Kohli seeming to be gathering steam as he heads into the tournament. Mohammad Shami will be a threat with the new ball, while India’s spin stocks are very strong, with the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel set to have a big impact in the middle overs.
Embed from Getty ImagesEngland
Fresh off a 2-0 T20 series win against Australia, England looks to be a big threat with the bat this T20 World Cup. Skipper Jos Buttler and Alex Hales seem to be forming a damaging partnership at the top of the order, while Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes will be key pieces of England’s side with their power hitting and ability to impact with the ball. Chris Woakes and Mark Wood are also set to cash in on the fast, bouncy Aussie pitches with the new ball.
Pakistan
The wildcard of last year’s T20 World Cup, Pakistan looked set to rattle the Aussies in the semi-final. Shaheen Afridi will be the key for Pakistan with the ball, with his fast swing a threat to even the world’s best. Joining him with the new ball could be Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain, who’ve lit up the BBL in recent years. Mohammad Rizwan and skipper Babar Azam, ranked first and third in the ICC’s Men’s T20I batting rankings, will be as powerful as ever at the top of the order, while Shadab Khan is another BBL star who’ll be looking to translate his success to the international stage.
Batters to watch
Tim David (Australia)
Australia’s T20 Squad bolter, David seems to have secured himself a spot in Australia’s lower order.
One of the best ‘finishers’ in world cricket, David has plied his trade in T20 leagues around the world, making a name for his ability to score quick runs at the end of an innings.
Given it’s a position Australia has struggled to occupy for so long, David’s inclusion has the capacity to take Australia to the next level, and he’s certainly shown his capability, with scores of 54, 40 and 42 the highlights of his eight games in green and gold so far.
Pairing with Matthew Wade after the ‘keeper’s recent shift down the order, Australia’s batting at the death looks strong.
Embed from Getty ImagesAlex Hales (England)
Hales’ inclusion in England’s T20 World Cup squad marks a return from a 3-and-a-half-year absence from England’s white-ball setup.
He already seems to be taking the opportunity with both hands, with a score of 84 against Australia in Perth the highlight of his return to national colours.
Familiar with Aussie territory having lit up the BBL for the Sydney Thunder in the past few seasons, Hales will be looking to translate his BBL success into some bulk T20 World Cup runs.
Suryakumar Yadav (India)
A rookie to international cricket but not to T20 cricket, ‘SKY’ will be an unknown name to most Aussie cricket fans.
The 32-year-old has been a mainstay for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL in recent years, and was rewarded with an international T20 debut in July of 2021.
A right-handed middle-order batter, Yadav has taken his international chance with both hands, already averaging 38.4, with a century and nine fifties to his name from just 32 T20I innings.
Alongside Virat Kohli in India’s middle order, Yadav is the unknown threat who could be key to India’s T20 World Cup success.
Bowlers to watch
Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
One of the most exciting young bowlers in world cricket, Shaheen showed his skill with a terrifying opening spell against Australia in last year’s T20 World Cup semi-final.
A tall left-armer with incredible skill to swing the new ball, he’s one of the most enjoyable bowlers to watch, and also one of the most threatening.
The fast and bouncy Aussie pitches will suit his pace, while under lights he’ll certainly cause some headaches for opposition batting lineups.
Lockie Ferguson (New Zealand)
Another fast bowler with searing pace, Ferguson often goes unnoticed among the company of his fellow fast bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee.
Ferguson is the third of a brilliant three-pronged New Zealand fast-bowling attack, and has plenty to offer.
His pace, which often sees him exceed the 150km/h mark, has proven to be more than a handful for the world’s best batters, and on Australia’s fast-bowling-friendly pitches, he’ll continue to be a big threat.
Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting bowlers in world cricket, you don’t have to look any further than Aussie soil to see what Rashid is capable of.
Lighting up the BBL year-on-year for the Adelaide Strikers, he’s still no stranger to the international stage, boasting 118 T20I wickets at a ridiculous average of 14.21.
Rashid is certainly one of the stars of world cricket, and could be the one that makes Afghanistan a big threat in this year’s T20 World Cup.
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