We now move on to Group D in the final part of our T20 World Cup preview featuring Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, Nepal, and the Netherlands.
Sri Lanka
Embed from Getty ImagesWe begin with the 2014 Champions, who reached the Final of the 2023 Asia Cup but lost to India by 10 wickets in the final.
However, their 50-over World Cup campaign was disappointing. They ended up in 9th place in the Super 10s, with just two victories.
The Lankans have participated in all eight editions and hold the record for the number of matches won(31).
In Australia 2022, they finished fourth place in Group A of the Super 12.
They will be hoping for a better performance this time around.
Schedule:
3rd June: Sri Lanka vs South Africa: New York: 15:30
9th June: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: Grand Prairie: 01:30
12th June: Sri Lanka vs Nepal: Lauderhill: 00:30
17th June: Sri Lanka vs Netherlands: St Lucia 01:30
Squad:
Wanindu Hasaranga (Captain), Charith Asalanka (vc), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka
Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Janith Liyanage.
One To Watch:
Wanindu Hasaranga:
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Sri Lanka Captain will be crucial to his side’s chances in the tournament.
He has 650 runs in 66 T20 Internationals at a strike rate of 130.52 and an average of 15.12.
Hasaranga was due to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in this year’s IPL(Indian Premier League) but pulled out of the tournament in March due to a foot injury sustained in Bangladesh.
According to Cricinfo, Hasarangs was suspended from playing Sri Lanka’s ongoing Tests against Bangladesh.
This was due to eight demerit points for breaching article 2.8 of the players’ code of conduct during the third ODI against Bangladesh.
If Hasaranga, who had just come out of Test retirement before the ban, were unavailable for the Test Series, he would have missed the start of the T20 World Cup.
Hasaranga was also the top wicket-taker of the previous two T20 World Cups, with 16 in the UAE and 15 in Australia.
Can he improve those performances in the USA and the West Indies?
Bangladesh
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Tigers have participated in all eight editions of the T20 World Cup but have never made it beyond the Super 12 stage.
In Australia 2022, they finished fifth in Group 2 of the 12s, with just two wins from five games.
Can they put on a better performance this time around?
8th June: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh: 01:30, Grand Prairie
10th June: South Africa vs Bangladesh: 15:30, New York
13th June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands: 15:30, St Vincent
!7th June Bangladesh vs Nepal: 00:30, St Vincent
Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
Reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe 37-year-old will be the key for the Tigers, based on his experience playing at the highest level.
Shakib has made 2,440 runs in 122 T20 internationals at a strike rate of 121.9 and an average of 121.9.
He also has 146 wickets, at an average of 20.45, and an economy of 6.78.
There are also some landmarks for him to achieve at this tournament.
- Three wickets shy of becoming the first bowler to claim 50 wickets in the tournament
- 150 wickets in T20Is
- First Bangladesh batter to score 2,500 T20I runs
- Six four-wicket hauls in T20Is (2nd-highest), one shy of equalling Uganda’s Henry Ssenyondo (7) for the joint-most tally.
What more can we expect from Bangladesh’s premier All-rounder?
South Africa
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Proteas are the fifth most successful team at the T20 World Cup, with 24 wins, but are yet to lift the trophy in eight attempts.
They reached the semi-finals in 2009 and 2014 but lost to Pakistan and India in those matches.
In Australia 2022, they finished third in Group 2 of the Super 12s, with two wins, two losses, and one game washed out due to rain.
However, in the 2023 50-Over World Cup, they reached the semi-finals by winning seven of nine Super 10 stage matches but lost to Australia by three wickets.
Schedule:
3rd June: Sri Lanka vs South Africa: New York: 15:30
8th June: Netherlands vs South Africa: New York: 15:30
10th June: South Africa vs Bangladesh: New York: 15:30
15th June: South Africa vs Nepal: St Vincent: 00:30
squad:
Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs. Nandre Burger and Lungi Ngidi.
One to Watch: Aiden Markram
Embed from Getty ImagesSouth Africa’s Captain is ranked the fifth-best batsman in the world in this format.
“I definitely think we have what it takes and it’s a World Cup it’s a really high level of cricket. I think this group has now been together for quite a few years. We’ve shown through many performances in the past few years that we’re able to beat the best in the world. So, I’m quietly confident that this team has what it takes to win the World Cup. I think once we’re able to get that first elusive one I think potentially quite a few could follow after that,”
Markram: India Today
In his 39 T20 International, Markram has 1,118 runs at a strike rate of 150.67 and an average of 38.55.
He is the glue to their powerhouse batting line-up, which includes Heinrich Klassen and Quinton de Kock. De Kock was the third-highest run-scorer of the 50-over World Cup with 594 runs.
Can Captain Markram lead the Proteas to their first piece of silverware since the 1998 Champions Trophy?
Netherlands
Embed from Getty ImagesSince their 50-over World Cup debut in 1996. the Dutch have been present in five 50-over World Cups, and the West Indies and US will be their sixth T20 World Cup.
The Netherlands can spring a few shock wins in tournaments, and in the 2022 edition, they stunned South Africa with a 13-run victory at the Adelaide Oval.
Embed from Getty ImagesScott Edwards’s side also did the double by winning by 39 runs in the 50-over World Cup in Dharamshala in 2023.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow will they do it in the US and the Caribbean?
The South African-born right-hander had a decent 50-over World Cup in India, scoring 300 runs at a strike rate of 66.66.
He represented South Africa in the 2008 U19 World Cup and was a big player for the Cape Cobras in the Champions League T20 in 2014.
According to The Independent, the wicketkeeper-batsman never managed to break into South Africa’s senior side but played 54 First Class, 57 List A, and 45 T20 matches in his country’s domestic setup before parting ways with the sport.
He then returned to playing cricket in 2021 after moving to the Netherlands along with his family.
His T20 career is better than his One Day record, with 182 runs at a rate of 152.94.
Can he prove this at the T20 World Cup?
Schedule:
4th June: Netherlands vs Nepal: Grand Prairie: 16:30
8th June: Netherlands vs South Africa: New York: 15:30
13th June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands: St Vincent, 15:30,
17th June: Sri Lanka vs Netherlands: St Lucia 01:30
Nepal
The final team in Group D is a small nation from Southeast Asia. According to Cricket Nepal, Cricket was first introduced to Nepal by the Rana Dynasty when they returned from studies in England and India in the 1920s, though the game was kept very much within them.
1961 was when the nation began to promote the sport in their country.
Cricket Nepal became part of the National Sports Council, though it was limited only to Kathmandu Valley.
However, it wasn’t until June 2014 that Nepal gained T20 status from the ICC.
They qualified for the 2014 tournament in Bangladesh but could not get past the Group stages.
Squad:
Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee
One To Watch: Dipendra Singh Airee
tEmbed from Getty ImagesA 24-year-old is a player to watch out for in this tournament.
He has 1,626 runs at a strike rate of 146.75 and an average of 38.71 in 64 T20 Internationals.
He is the third batter after Herschelle Gibbs, Yuvraj Singh, and Kieron Pollard to hit six sixes in an over in any format of cricket.
However, it’s not just the power hitting the bat that makes him eye-catching.
He is also a live-wire in the field, with 27 catches and 16 runouts, the most in T20Is.
What sort of impact can he make at the T20 World Cup?
Schedule:
4th June: Netherlands vs Nepal: Grand Prairie: 16:30
12th June: Sri Lanka vs Nepal: Lauderhill: 00:30
15th June: South Africa vs Nepal: St Vincent: 00:30
!7th June Bangladesh vs Nepal: St Vincent: 00:30,
So that’s it for the final part of our T20 World Cup preview.
Who will take home the glory?