T20 World Cup: A Brief Overview

The world of cricket is as intriguing as it is exciting and it is no wonder that this is one of the most watched sports. Since the year 2003. the T20 World Cup has become an integral part of this world and with T20 World Cup 2012 already beckoning in September, you need to get an insight into this shorter version of the sport and share in the fun. If you are a cricket enthusiast, you might have missed this revolutionary version of the sport and the sooner you learn about 120 cricket, the better because you will definitely enjoy the forthcoming tournament.

Brief History of 120 World Cup :

This version of cricket goes way back to 2003 when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) conceptualized a more refreshing way of competing. This development came as an effort to fill the gap left by the Benson and Hedges Cup in 2002. With waning fortunes for world cricket. a 20 over per innings game was proposed and this gave rise to the current version of the game. In essence, it was an attempt to win over younger fans and also shorten the game's running time. After success in England, the game spread to Pakistan before the first T20 International was played in 2005 between Australia and New Zealand.

The inaugural T20 World Cup took place in 2007 in South Africa just four years after the first Twenty20 cricket game in England. India won the inaugural tournament after beating Pakistan by 5 runs. Since then. the World Cup has been played every 2 years and is run by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with Pakistan winning in 2009. and England in 2010. In case there is an event of the ICC Cricket World Cup, the tournament is held the year before to allow test nations to prepare better for the older cup. The ICC has even made the tournament even more interesting by expanding the global qualification system to allow ICC affiliate members and associates a chance to feature.

T20 World Cup and its Impact:

There is no denying that this is a more refreshing format of cricket even if you have not been a keen follower of the game. The fact that more is demanded of the players makes the game a more engaging encounter and not a laidback sport. Moreover, the fact those over 17 nations have already played Twenty20 cricket shows it has been accepted as the only way of popularizing cricket in the world. The ICC World Twenty20 2012 is set to kick off in Sri Lanka on September 18th and the hype qualifiers created definitely marks a turning point for cricket globally.

As a cricket fan, you might be lost for choice when it comes to selecting the winning team. England the 2010 defending champions is rated as the favorites but going by the past T20 World Cup finals, anything can happen. You will have to check the ranking, watch past test games. qualifiers (for Ireland and Afghanistan) before picking a winner or you can just lay back and see any upsets unravel before your eyes. With 12 teams set to play, there will be no shortage of surprises. Simply put: Twenty20 cricket world Cup has put some fresh breathe into this magnificent game.

T20 WorldCup 2012 - Which Team Will Win?

With T20 world cup coming soon, it is an ideal time to take a look at the top contenders for this tournament. India First one in the list is world champion India. The best part about India is that they have a well-balanced team and with so many youngsters playing at PL, they know fully well how to play a free flowing cricket in the T20 format. 

India:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a captain is a huge plus and with the likes of Sehwag. Gambhir, Raina and  Kohli in top form top order looks formidable. Only worry for India could be their bowlers who often struggle controlling opposition. 

Australia: 

Talking about Australia, they are going to be a real title contender in the upcoming T20 world cup. Unlike India, Australia looks well settled both in batting as well as in bowling department. 

Most importantly, they know how to handle pressure situations, which is quite important in a 120 format. Bailey as a captain has lot to prove but in the domestic circuit, he has done quite well for Tasmania. 

Warner and Watson can demolish any bowling attack on their day and in bowling Mitchell Starc and Hilfenhaus looks an ideal combination. But playing at Srilanka, they may miss the services of a quality spinner.

 South Africa:

 Everyone is aware of the fact that in paper South Africa has a tremendous team but they just can't play to their full potential at ICC events, more notably in T20 world cup. 

With Gary Kirsten at the helm, things can change but for that to happen, players need to play fearless cricket without feeling any pressure. Likes of Smith. Rallis, Devillers. Ivlorkel and Steyn can give any team a run for their money. When you add this up with exceptional fielding, you have got a winning recipe. They can win the T20 world cup. 

England: 

Current 120 world cup champion England is not looking good at the moment but coach Andy Flower can come up with something that can reignite the whole squad. Retirement of  Kevin Pieterson is going to have a negative impact on the team and lack of playing at IPL can also cost them. 

Expect England to come out fighting but repeat of last performance looks unlikely. Reaching semi-final of T20 world cup would be a good effort. 

Srilanka: 

Host of the T20 world cup, Srilanka is one of the most disciplined T20 team in the world. Mahela Jaywardene as a captain is exceptional and with Dilshan. Sangakara. Malinga and Perera all looking in good touch. You cannot ignore the credential of this team. 

Beating Srilanka in Srilanka is always tough and if they get going early, they are going to be difficult to stop. Pitches in the upcoming T20 world cup is going to be slow, suiting Srilanka. 

West Indies: 

After a long time. West Indies has a chance to win one of the top ICC tournaments. Just look at their team and you will find that they have all the bases covered. 

Top of the order you have one of the best T20 batsman in the world in the form of Chris Gayle. Lower down the order they have finishers like Pollard. Samuel and Russell. Then in the bowling, they have mysterious Sunil Narine and quick bowlers Roach and Edward. Simply put, West Indies can win the upcoming T20 world cup. 

Bangladesh: 

Although the performance of Bangladesh has improved in the recent past but they are not a winning material in the upcoming T20 world cup.