And there will soon be more sleepless nights for the devotees of instant cricket, as on 30 April, the third ICC World Twenty20 starts in the West Indies.
Being the winner of the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007, it is surprising that India is seeded no. 6 in the current World Twenty20. It comes as a greater shock that Australia is seeded no. 9, even below Bangladesh, who is seeded at no.8.
Last time’s winner, Pakistan, is top-seeded, followed by Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies, England, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Australia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland.
The 12 countries are divided in four groups: each group having three countries. The two best from each group will make the Super 8. So expect the unexpected.
The winner of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007, India, is in Group C, along with South Africa and Afghanistan.
In Group A, Australia will face Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan on 2 May and Bangladesh on 5 May.
The Super 8 commences on 6 May, the semi-finals on 13 and 14 May at St Lucia and the Final at Barbados on 16th.
How will Australia go in the third World Twenty20? They reserve their best when under-estimated. The underdog status brings out the red-hot best among the Aussies.
Remember how the under-rated Allan Border-led Australians shocked the cricketing world by winning the Fifty50 World Cup in India in 1987? The Australians would be fired up at this slap on the face.
The Oz squad for the 2010 World T20 is: Michael Clarke (captain), Brad Haddin (wk), Mike Hussey, David Hussey, Shane Watson, David Warner, Cameron White, Brett Lee (if fit), Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait, Nathan Hauritz, Dirk Nannes, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith and Daniel Christian.
Mike Hussey is the eldest at almost 35 and NSW’s leg-spinning big-hitting all-rounder Steven Smith youngest at 20.
If Lee is unfit, Doug Bollinger or Ryan Harris can fill in. Although Ricky Ponting will be missed, Australia has enough fire power to lift the World T20 and embarrass the seeding committee.
In Warner, Watson, Haddin, White and young Smith they have ‘six-o-maniacs’ who will pulverize any attack. Stability will come through skipper Clarke and the Hussey brothers.
Johnson, Tait and Lee (if fit) will spearhead the attack and Hauritz will spin with economy. In T20, dot balls are precious gems and no-balls a big no-no. They should aim at the former and avoid the latter.
According to reports, the defending champions Pakistan suffered a major blow when Umar Gul and Yasir Arafat were ruled out of the World T20, having failed to recover sufficiently from injuries picked up in the training camp.
Although this is to be confirmed, Pakistan’s loss will be Australia’s gain.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
Talib Jan, I wish Afghanistan all the very best. Hope they prove the experts wrong by making it to the Super 8 stage. They have worked hard at it and deserve praise for their efforts. Anything can happen in Twenty20.
Talib Jan
Guest
For the past few days I have been following all sorts of analysts and commentators on the world cup and almost all of them unanemously have written Afghanistan off including you guys. But... allow me to remind you guys that two years ago Afghanistan was written off when they were playing in Division 5. Then they were written off in Division 4, then Division 3 and finally they were written off in the world cup qualifiers 3 months ago. Afghanistan not only proved all those so called analysts and commentators wrong during the past 2 years, but they aslo won each single of the events mentioned above and piled up so many trophies during this short period of time that will make any test-nation envious. You guys write Afgahanistan off based on your experience of all the past debutants, but I am going to PREDICT the blassfimous in cricket terms. AFGHANISTAN WILL MAKE IT TO THE LAST 8 AT THE VERY LEAST INSHAHLLAH. and that prediction is based on my knowledge of their past record. If they had been like any other ordinary debutant team, they wouldn't be here in the first place. There is a reason why they are here.
Brett McKay
Guest
wind out India gents, Virender Sehwag's been ruled out of the T20WC with a shoulder problem... Mind you, Brett Lee's also declared himslef fit, so.........
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
albatross..general tickets range from 200 to 500 Rs which is $5 -$12-5. Then you have the Special tickets of Rs50000 to 60000..that is $1500 which gives you access to players and after match parties..the only freebies are the players families and IPL associates and advertisers. See the figures above on gambling and you will get a picture of the obscene amounts of money changing hands.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Kersi, It is reported in the Times of India that Rs3500 crore( one crore = Aus $250,000) has already changed hands in Illegal betting on the IPL..this is 875 million dollars. Another $450 million is held on the two semifinals. Official betting in London has 2million pounds on the the semifinals. So we are talking a billion dollar illegal gambling industry for one tournament..how big would this industrty be..and who is to say ministers and others cannot be bought for a few million dollars. Pritish Nandy, a well known poet,artist and journalist says journalism taught him to "follow the money trail" to unearth the real story. Where will this trail lead and what will be the collateral damage? You can bet your last dollar that the money bet on the World Twenty20 will be colossal.
albatross
Roar Pro
K M-H 30k sounds impressive until one considers the population of India (even if one only counts the upper working and middle classes). How many are getting into the ground free of charge and if they are paying for tickets how much do they cost (as a % of average UW-MC earnings)? Also what other entertainments backed by gambling and saturation mass media coverage are available in the cities where the IPL games are being played?
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Kersi,what is the prize money..I believe the winner gets in excess of 2million dollars..that would be more than the average Afghani would make in a generation..unless you are in the poppy cultivation business. The prize money would be an added incentive for players from WIndies, Bangladesh and the other not so rich countries.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
You are quite correct, albatross. In Australia, in general, no one seems interested in IPL. But crowds of 30,000 plus in most IPL matches in India tells a different story. IPL is HUGE in India.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
Yes, the ECB are doing a good job at the grassroots, Vinay. The 2005 Ashes victory helped to attract more children to cricket and increased television revenue has enabled the ECB to offer those children decent facilities. Hopefully a few Michael Vaughans and Ian Bothams might emerge in a few years time.
albatross
Guest
Is anybody really paying attention to the IPL (and T20 games in general)? In my place of work there is nary a mention of it. If ODIs are the fastfood of cricket, surely T20 is akin to the nibblies they put on the club bar around 5 pm.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Viscount, I want to see England do well for two reasons. One ,in KP, they have a match winner and a batsman who defies convention and is still a good technician. He is a definite match winner. And secondly, I like what the ECB is doing with their blind and women cricketers. They are putting back into the grassroots. Coming to England's chances, Bopara has flattered to deceive. Morgan has unrealised potential and KP remains their one surefire chance. But at $9 a good bet.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
I'm not a huge fan of 20/20 but I will be curious to see how England perform given that they actually boast some power hitters at long last - namely Pietersen, Morgan and Kieswetter. Ravi Bopara has also performed well in the IPL. $9 looks quite attractive.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
I am not a betting man but here are the odds given in Australia's Inside Sport magazine (May 2010 issue): Australia $4.50, India $5, S Africa $5.50, Sri Lanka $6.50, Pak $7, Eng $9, WI $9, NZ $11, Bangla $51, Zimbabwe $151, Ireland $501, Afghanistan $751. [Prices quoted by TAB Sportsbet and subject to change].
Whiteline
Guest
Good call Vinay, they need a break!
katzilla
Roar Guru
I guess this just shows the lottery of T20 cricket. Like rugby sevens it certainly does bring the field a bit closer together. And teams you'd expect to do well wont always do well when chancing their arm. It certainly is the format for spreading the game as we saw from the endeavours of non test playing nations at the last WC. You could pick a group of 7 or so teams and any of them could win it. My make believe money will be on India Bangas to upset OZ
Timmuh
Guest
"How could anyone bet on them with any certainty to do anything – win or lose?" Presumably you mean anyone except their own players.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Whiteline..the Twenty20 World Cup in SAF where India won there was 30 million in bets on the toss alone. So talking of betting I would not,like you,bet on Pakistan or anyone else for that matter. I will be cheering for Afghanistan and I hope they do well.
Whiteline
Guest
Pakistan are a joke. How could anyone bet on them with any certainty to do anything - win or lose? I think a lot of it depends on which way the wind is blowing. I would have them seeded at 9, where they belong in test and ODI cricket as well. How can anyone take them seriously after the last Australian summer?
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Kersi,the only surprise I see is Pakistan missing the Super Eights. They have a lot of pressure and I can see Bangladesh pulling off an upset against them. Tamin Iqbal and Shakib are two good players. I see a semifinal of England,Australia,New Zealand and India. For Sri Lanka to make it Jayawardne and Sanga are the keys. If they fire then Sri Lanka may edge New Zealand. I see South Africa as the perrenial under achievers.Steyn, Kallis, Duminy ,Boucher and the Morkel boys are good players but they have to fire as a team. Australia will be quietly confident as will India. Dhoni Pathan and Raina along with Rohit Sharma and Harbhajan are proven performers. For Australia Cam White and Shane Watson look in form. Nannes and Tait could be lethal. I am looking forward to Steven Smith starring.
Crayfish
Roar Rookie
Agree with Brett, basically anyone can win it. However, predictions I'm willing to make (based on little more than a guess) are as follows: England will be knocked out early (Super 8s at the latest), New Zealand will make a good run but fall short in the later stages, South Africa will be knocked out in the semi finals, Chris Gayle will produce at least one match-winning knock against a good side. Aside from those predictions, I'm not sure what will happen. Oh, I also cannot fathom Bangladesh being seeded ahead of Australia - didn't Australia recently trounce both the defending champions and the tournament's host nation in 20/20 cricket? Very weird...