20/20 Is a Lottery

By Gulu Ezekiel

The very nature of 20/20 cricket means it is always a challenge to pick a pre-tournament favourite.
The IPL proved that if proof at all were needed when the bottom two teams of 2008 competed in the final and last year’s basement team Deccan Chargers clinched the title.
However international 20/20 cricket is somewhat more predictable as national teams have players with well-known track records unlike franchise-based club sides who have so many unknown faces.
The 2007inaugural World Cup tournament in South Africa certainly saw a shock winner as India had played just one season of domestic 20/20 and a single T-20 International by that stage.
How times have changed. Now India must start as the favourites considering the entire team is fresh from the second IPL season. And the thrashing of Pakistan at the Oval on Wednesday must have done their morale no end of good.
Pakistan lost in that dramatic final two years ago in Johannesburg. But with all their players excluded this team from the IPL, they have a raw and untested look about them.
Australia also made it to the semifinals in 2007 despite their shock defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe who will be missing from this year’s edition.
However, the sending home of Andrew Symonds for yet another disciplinary infringement will see them without their star all-rounder who had a brilliant IPL season. And it must surely hit the morale of their camp hard to lose such a vital player on the eve of the tournament.
England too have plenty of 20/20 experience and they must fancy their chances this time around as the hosts.
For those who prefer their cricket—whatever the format—played by national sides rather than the corporate variety, the World Cup promises plenty of action over the next two weeks.