ICC World Twenty20 Bangladesh 2014
The ICC World Twenty20 kicks off today and depite Twenty20s (T20s), struggling to gain a firm footing despite the growing popularity of domestic leagues, hopefully the fifth ICC World T20 2014 will break new ground when it opens in Bangladesh.
Tests and One-Day Internationals (ODIs) take precedence over T20Is even as successful competitions like the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) mushroom around the world.
India, cricket’s financial superpower, whose victory in the inaugural World T20 in 2007 sparked the IPL revolution, has played just one international in the shortest version over the last 15 months.
World cricket chiefs, hoping to spread the game to newer pastures through T20Is, have expanded the upcoming tournament to 16 teams from 12 two years ago and introduced a new format.
Six qualifiers — Ireland, Afghanistan, Nepal, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands — will join Zimbabwe and hosts Bangladesh in a preliminary league of two groups from March 16 to 21.
The two group winners will then contest the Super-10 round with the top eight Test nations — Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, England, New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
True to the unpredictable nature of the slam-bang format, the four previous editions threw up different winners each time with India’s success in 2007 emulated by Pakistan (2009), England (2010) and the West Indies (2012) — all away from home.
Chris Gayle, one of the most destructive batsmen in the modern game, warned it will not be easy for his West Indies side to defend the title despite a series win over England this week.
ICC World T20 2014 schedule: Match time table with venue details
“It would be nice if history could repeat itself but it’s going to be tough,” the left-handed opener said. “We will take it one match at a time. The first target is to make the semi-finals.”
Sri Lanka, the top-ranked T20I side, have enhanced their status as one of the favourites by spending more than six weeks in Bangladesh since late January, capped by their Asia Cup 2014 victory last weekend.
But sandwiched between a hectic international schedule, the absence of a number of leading players and a lackadaisical build-up by teams, the tournament will lose some sheen.
Australia, South Africa, England and the West Indies will arrive in Dhaka barely a week before the Super-10 round starts, leaving them little time to acclimatise.
Absentees….
The tournament will be notable for its absences such as Australian Test skipper Michael Clarke and his English counterpart Alastair Cook.
Kevin Pietersen will also be missing after his controversial sacking last month, along with New Zealand’s big-hitting Jesse Ryder who was dropped for late-night drinking.
South Africa meanwhile will be entering a new era after the recent retirements of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis.
India can at least welcome back skipper MS Dhoni after he missed the Asia Cup through injury.
Australia, seeking to win their maiden World T20 title, have debunked the theory that T20 is a young man’s game by including middle-order batsman Brad Hodge, 39, and 43-year-old spinner Brad Hogg in their squad.
The tournament, which runs until April 6, will be played under heavy security after election violence at the turn of the year raised fears that Bangladesh’s biggest sporting event could be moved elsewhere.
Bangladesh, which co-hosted the 2011 50-over World Cup with India and Sri Lanka, will stage matches in the capital Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet.
But plans to host games in the holiday resort of Cox’s Bazaar were ruled out after building work on a new stadium fell behind schedule.
Organisers will be praying that Bangladesh defeat the dangerous Afghanistan in Sunday’s tournament opener in Dhaka because an early exit for the hosts could seriously affect interest in the tournament.
Betting….
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