A look at the favourites and their strengths...
INDIA : There was a prediction by the pundits commentating in the IPL about the semi-finalists for the
T20 World Cup
and each one of them had India in their list.
Rohit Sharma
's boys have the balance - brilliant technicians, quality power-hitters, top spinners and an outstanding
Jasprit Bumrah
. It is a team that is good for all conditions and it's only about things falling into place for them to be there at the business end.
AUSTRALIA: A team full of confidence.
They have won everything that is there to be won and this team too doesn't lack variety. Australia are built on their ability to explode with the bat while the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and
Adam Zampa
have the quality to rise with the ball when the occasion demands. The fact that the team has nothing more to prove can make them just a bit more dangerous.
SOUTH AFRICA: Though mired with racism issues all over again, South Africa are quietly building a formidable limited overs team following the Aussie template of power-hitters and some quality bowlers. The likes of Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs are destructive hitters who can simply take the game away from any opposition on their day.
ENGLAND: The team is nurturing the hurt of a disastrous ODI World Cup campaign. Their captain
Jos Buttler
got their players to return from IPL well before the playoffs, which shows how serious the veteran is to turn things around. England also have a nice mix of youth and experience, some big-hitters and quality white-ball bowlers who know what it is to deliver on a big stage. And if Jofra Archer gets back to his best, England can shape up into one of the top contenders for the title.
DARK HORSE: West Indies: On paper, they don't look the best team, but home conditions and an element of unpredictability make them a force to reckon with. And when a team has power hitters like Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell and Shimron Hetmyer, there's no option but to take them seriously.
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