Published: Mar 16, 2014, 10:45 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 16, 2014, 12:16 PM (IST)
Sydney: Mar 16, 2014
A senior Australian sports journalist has tipped Sri Lanka, India, New Zealand and Australia as the top four teams of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh and has branded New Zealand as one of the ‘big surprise packages’ of the tournament.
Ben Dorries said they can quickly adjust to conditions, adding that Corey Anderson (who scored the fastest ODI century in history), Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor will be a serious T20 threat.
Dorries has however, written off Pakistan‘s and England‘s chances for the tournament, saying that Pakistan looks like a ‘rabble’ after a slew of changes following Dav Whatmore’s exit while England has low chances due to injury, form woes and their long time on the road.
According to News.com.au, Dorries said that Sri Lanka would be playing in familiar conditions, has come into the competition in sparkling T20 form, has won the 50-overs Asia Cup, is the best-ranked T20 side in the world and has a clever brigade of spinners and experienced batsmen.
Dorries further said that India has played more 20-over cricket than any other team in the world, thanks to the Indian Premier League (IPL) and their batsmen MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh will love the slow Bangladesh pitches.
Dorries backed Australia to extend their consistency from their ‘golden summer’ into the tournament, although he added they might have to adjust against rival sides that have played a lot more T20 cricket in recent times given that they have played on hard, fast, bouncy pitches for the last five months.
Dorries said that West Indies and South Africa are the ‘shock values’ for the tournament.
ICC World T20 2014 schedule: Match time table with venue details
