The World Twenty20 is just one day away and this is your one-stop guide to the teams from Group A fighting for a place in the main competition.
The preliminary round starts on Tuesday, with Bangladesh and Afghanistan favourites to join the big eight teams in the Super 10 group stage.
BANGLADESH
Tigers on the prowl.
There was a general sense of disbelief at the kind of wickets Bangladesh prepared for the Asia Cup, which they hosted just before the World Cup. The pitches had a green tinge and enough pace and bounce to not just keep the batsmen hopping, but also the wicketkeepers.
Critics thought it wasn’t the best preparation for the slowerpaced and turning pitches that India is almost guaranteed to opt for. But from Bangladesh’s perspective, it really was a smart move. They wanted to win the tournament in front of their home crowd, and pacy wickets were their best bet.
Mashrafe Mortaza’s team regularly challenge top teams now and there is a genuine feeling among the fans that their days of apprenticeship are over.
They may be ranked 10th in the T20 Rankings, but a win over much more heralded teams is no longer considered a fluke.
Their fast bowling is top class now, especially in limited overs cricket. The batting needs to be more consistent at the top, although players like Tamim Iqbal and Sabbir Rehman are showing signs of maturity.
The good thing about the team is that apart from Mortaza, every other player is in his 20s.
This tournament may not go their way, but watch out for them in the future.
STRENGTHS
Bangladesh are no longer the favourite whipping boys of world cricket. They are showing excellent attitude on the field and fighting until the end of their matches. They have also benefited from the emergence of two classy fast bowlers – the wily Mustafizur Rahman and the pacy Taksin Ahmed. The fact that both are just 20, augurs very well for the cricket-crazy nation.
WEAKNESSES
While their bowling has improved by leaps and bounds, Bangladesh’s batting still has a lot to catch up. There is a lot of inconsistency and the bowlers do need runs to bowl against if Mashrafe Mortaza’s men want to create an impact in the tournament. A quick look at rankings, and it is easy to understand why they are still faltering – only Shakib Al Hasan’s name features in the list of top-35 batsmen, coming in at No22.
STAR MAN
SHAKIB AL HASAN
The talismanic all-rounder will be Bangladesh’s biggest trump card, not only because of his vast experience, which includes playing several seasons of the IPL, but also because his spin bowling could prove much more effective than some of the quality medium pacers they have got in recent times.
NETHERLANDS
Daring Dutch.
The Dutch have a long association with global events, making their first appearance at the 1996 50-over event. Thereafter, they became more or less regular participants at world tournaments. They failed to make the cut in the 50- over qualifiers in 2014 to go with similar failures in the previous two editions of the T20 competition, which raised concerns over the health of their game.
But they have bounced back well and are now in contention for a spot in the main leg of the T20 tournament. They beat Namibia in the qualifying rounds last year and now travel to India with renewed hopes.
The Netherlands will be led by Peter Borren, a familiar face for fans. The middle order batsman will provide the main thrust with the bat and hold the innings together. On the bowling front, medium pacer Mudassar Bukhari is the experienced campaigner and will look to continue the good form that has seen him pick up 18 wickets from 15 matches over the last two years.
The biggest weapon in their attack, however, is former South Africa international Roelof van der Merwe, who will provide control with his left-arm spin and swing the bat lower down the order. All in all, the Dutch have a balanced side ready to spring a surprise or two.
STRENGTHS
They have played in six world events in all, four World Cups and two World T20s, and this experience will help them get rid of any nerves quickly.
Veteran players like Peter Borren, Wesley Barresi and Mudassar Bukhari can use their experience to guide the youngsters. Plus, the presence of Roelof van der Merwe will be a big plus as he brings international experience with the South Africans to the table.
WEAKNESSES
They were a bit inconsistent during the qualifiers. While they beat Scotland, UAE and Ireland, they also suffered defeats against Afghanistan and Oman. Another issue they will face is the effectiveness of medium pacer Ahsan Malik, who is back after remodeling his action. Whether
or not he will be effective remains to be seen. Also, their batsmen will have their task cut out against spin, which will be a headache for the bigger teams too.
STAR MAN
ROELOF VAN DER MERWE
Roelof van der Merwe.
The left-arm spinner brings with him a vast amount of international experience, not necessarily in the number of matches played but from representing the South Africans. He knows what it takes to compete at the highest level and that knowledge alone will help the team immensely.
IRELAND
Pluck of the Irish.
To say that Ireland have been dealt an unfavourable draw in the tournament would be an understatement. They will first play Oman, Netherlands and Bangladesh in a mini roundrobin where the winner will be rewarded with a spot in Group B alongside cricketing giants India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia.
However, Ireland have given themselves the best possible chance by selecting a well balanced squad. With five players taking part in their fifth World T20, captain William Porterfield should have plenty of experienced heads to turn to when things get tough. Porterfield will look to set the tone with the bat while the O’Brien brothers Niall and Kevin will hope provide stability in the middle order.
Former England internationals Boyd Rankin and Tim Murtagh will spearhead Ireland’s bowling attack, which should be potent given Ireland’s recent recruitment of Chaminda Vaas as their bowling coach. Not only will the duo look to take the lion’s share of wickets but will also be key figures in guiding their less experienced colleagues.
Ireland’s pre tournament form has been mixed with some solid wins against Papua New Guinea and UAE subsequently undermined by two bad losses to the same opposition.
STRENGTHS
Ireland have a tendency to produce their best cricket in international tournaments and this big match temperament will be their most useful attribute again.
Boyd Rankin and Tim Murtagh are a quality opening pair of bowlers who will be ably supported by the devilish swing bowling of Kevin O’Brien.
With the bat, William Porterfield has some decent scores under his belt and should be able to lead with confidence.
WEAKNESSES
Unfortunately, Ireland have won only nine of their last 17 T20 matches.
What will be of greater concern is the fact that in the lead-up to the World T20, they lost to Papua New Guinea and the UAE – two teams that didn’t qualify for the showpiece event. Their recent batting performances is also an issue, with totals of 105 against PNG and 128 against UAE putting some big question marks over the form of their experienced line-up.
STAR MAN
KEVIN O’BRIEN
Kevin O’Brien.
All-rounder Kevin O’Brien is Ireland’s heartbeat. While many would point to his precision medium pacebowling as his most valuable asset, it is his mature middle-order batting that has often come to the rescue of Ireland’s misfiring top order.
OMAN
Gulf gladiators (photo courtesy of Sportsfile).
Considering they played their first T20 international less than four years ago, it’s quite an achievement for Oman to even qualify for their first big Twenty20 event.
Their qualifying campaign saw victories over Afghanistan, Netherlands and Canada, enough to see them pip Kenya on run-rate for the fourth and last position in the group.
That earned them a winner takes-all against Namibia with Oman prevailing by five wickets in the play-offs to seal an historic triumph.
Since then, the Asian outfit have won three of their last nine games in this format, with all wins coming against Hong Kong. Their latest came in the Asia Cup and that along with a 10-day training camp in Dharamsala in India back in February, will help them get used to the conditions.
The Gulf nation will relish the opportunity of playing on the world stage but first must overcome Ireland, Netherlands and Bangladesh before they even think about the heavyweights.
For coach Duleep Mendis, his immediate aim is to make an impact. While victory is a difficult task, he has a squad mixed with youth and experience, who play a lot of limited-over domestic cricket.
It will be a test of character for his players in their biggest tournament to date but as underdogs there is nothing to lose.
STRENGTHS
All but 14 of the squad is of Pakistani or Indian background and having played in Asian conditions before moving to Muscat is surely a big advantage for coach Duleep Mendis.
The former Sri Lankan captain can take even more confidence from his bowlers with a good combination of pacers and spinners.
At 34, left-arm orthodox spinner Aamir Kaleem is one of his most effective, taking figures of 4-31 against the UAE in the Asia Cup.
WEAKNESSES
None of the players have experienced this kind of tournament so this could play a part in their minds when it comes to playing on the field.
Batting has been a concern for Mendis and his coaching staff but he can be encouraged by scores of 180 and 165 against Hong Kong and Afghanistan.
However, they often lose concentration at crucial times, as shown against the UAE where they only managed 101 in the Asia Cup.
STAR MAN
JATINDER SINGH
The right-handed batsman only began playing cricket when he moved to Muscat in 2003 but has vastly improved to be considered one of Oman’s dangerous players. In the T20 qualifiers, the 26-year-old impressed at number three, finishing third top run-scorer with 213. Given his ability of adjusting to conditions quickly and dealing with different variations of bowling, he looks set to open the innings and do damage from the very first ball.
