2022 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup team-by-team guides, squad lists and betting pointers
Afghanistan
Sky Bet outright odds: 66/1
Squad: Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, Darwish Rasooli, Farid Ahmad Malik, Fazal Haq Farooqi, Hazratullah Zazai, Ibrahim Zadran, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Naveen ul Haq, Qais Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Salim Safi, Usman Ghani.
Captain: Mohammad Nabi
2021 World Cup: Fourth in Group 2
Overview: Wins over Scotland and Namibia were the very least this talented outfit would have hoped for at the 2021 World Cup, but heavy defeats to Pakistan, India and New Zealand were disappointing. Better was expected, particularly given that conditions were very much in their favour, and they lost all three of their fixtures at the recent Asia Cup. In Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Najibullah Zadran there is some quality in the batting, while Rashid Khan leads an excellent spin attack. How much these conditions will suit that method of attack is the big question, and it's easy to see Afghanistan getting outmuscled in a strong group.
Star man: RASHID KHAN is the star man in any team he turns out for, but he really is the icon of Afghanistan cricket. Viewed in most quarters as the best T20 spinner in the world, Rashid picked up eight wickets in the 2021 World Cup, returning an impressive economy rate of 6.10. His experience of playing for Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash is another reason to expect Rashid to be a major force in this tournament, and he will no doubt be relishing the return to South Australia for Afghanistan's group clash against the defending champions in what will feel like a home match for the hugely-popular wrist spinner.
Richard Mann’s pointer: While Afghanistan were generally outmatched against the big guns in the UAE, they posted 190-4 when batting first against Scotland and 160-5 against Namibia on what was a tricky surface to bat on at Abu Dhabi. When finding their level, this batting unit has the potential to do some real damage, and the two qualifiers into Group 1 could be vulnerable to conceding a big score if Afghanistan's approach of all-out-attack meets a good batting wicket and a poor bowling attack. That could be the time for betting big runs.
Australia
Sky Bet outright odds: 3/1
Squad: Aaron Finch, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Captain: Aaron Finch
2021 World Cup: Winners
Overview: Australia came back from the brink at last year's World Cup, dusting themselves down following a pasting at the hands of England in the group stages to surge to title glory, beating New Zealand in the final. Prior to that, Australia had appeared light years behind in terms of their approach to T20 batting, and it needed David Warner and Mitchell Marsh to remove the shackles and ignite their bid with some brutal displays. They haven't looked back since and at home, with a pace-heavy bowling attack so suited to these conditions, they could take some stopping again.
Star man: Lots to choose from, but the ICC rankings say that JOSH HAZLEWOOD is the best T20 bowler in the wold at present and I can't disagree. Hazlewood has reinvented himself from Test specialist to a fantastic all-format operator, and his ability to take big wickets with the new ball in the powerplay, coupled with a brilliant economy rate, makes him Australia's key bowling weapon. At the 2021 World Cup in the UAE, Hazlewood claimed 11 wickets with his economy rate an impressive 7.29. So far in 2022, Hazlewood has taken 21 wickets from 13 T20Is, with his economy rate again miserly.
Richard Mann’s pointer: David Warner and Mitchell Marsh will dominate the top Australia match market, but on a match-by-match basis, there is merit in taking a stab on Australia's fine finishers at big prices. The two to concentrate on are MATTHEW WADE, hero of last year's World Cup semi-final win when smoking 41 not out from 17 balls, and TIM DAVID, whose franchise form has been so strong that Australia have been unable to ignore his claims any longer. Wade is a street fighter, cool, calm and experienced, while David hits the ball miles. Both have been going off at double-figure prices and are worth following.
England
Sky Bet outright odds: 3/1
Squad: Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Alex Hales.
Captain: Jos Buttler
2021 World Cup: Semi-finals
Overview: England's stranglehold on 50- and 20-over cricket came to an end at last year's World Cup in the UAE, a narrow defeat to New Zealand at the semi-finals stage stopping them in their tracks, and Jos Buttler's tenure as full-time captain began with series losses to India and South Africa in the summer. Jason Roy's subsequent axing and injury to Jonny Bairstow dealt further blows to England's batting ahead of the tournament, but recent series win over Pakistan and Australia saw the likes of Harry Brook and Dawid Malan excel and things might just be falling into place again. The bowling, minus Jofra Archer, remains a concern, though Mark Wood is fit again and will provide some much-needed X-factor.
Star man: JOS BUTTLER is the best white-ball batsman in the world and if England are to become world champions, he simply must fire. The Buttler from IPL 2022 – the one who made four centuries and finished as the tournament's top runscorer – could be impossible to stop on what are generally good pitches to bat on in Australia, but he missed the end of The Hundred and the recent series win over Pakistan through injury, having struggled for his best form as England endured a tough summer in white-ball cricket. There have been more encouraging signs against Australia in the last few days, so England supporters will be hoping he is back to his best again.
Richard Mann’s pointer: England’s bowling has been its weak link for a while now and India twice scored 198 against them last summer, as well as 170. South Africa made 193, 207 and 191 against England a few weeks later. Jofra Archer remains a huge loss and while Reece Topley has done well, the bowling at the death hasn't improved. As such, England's batting will have to compensate, meaning the likelihood of England being involved in high-scoring matches, or posting and conceding high scores, is strong.
Ireland
Sky Bet outright odds: 150/1
Squad: Andrew Balbirnie, Mark Adair, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Conor Olphert, Simi Singh, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Graham Hume.
Captain: Andrew Balbirnie
2021 World Cup: Third in first round Group A
Overview: A brilliant, unbroken stand of 119 between Curtis Campher and George Dockrell rescued Ireland's World Cup just when it appeared over, the pair pulling off a remarkable run chase against Scotland. With their tails up, Ireland duly booked their place in the Super 12s with a resounding win over West Indies where Paul Stirling found some from with a half-century. Josh Little gives the bowling some bite, so don't rule out the Irish claiming another big scalp or two in the coming weeks.
New Zealand
Sky Bet outright odds: 9/1
Squad: Kane Williamson, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Mitchell Santner, Glenn Phillips, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Martin Guptill, Lockie Ferguson, Devon Conway, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Trent Boult, Finn Allen.
Captain: Kane Williamson
2021 World Cup: Beaten finalists
Overview: New Zealand retain much of the same squad that reached the final in 2021, and this remains a very fine unit packed with experienced, high-class operators. The big question is that having gone so close last year, and also in the 50-over World Cup final in 2019, can this same set of players muster an ever bigger effort this time around? The likes of Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill are certainly not getting any younger while the pace bowling, though very good, used vast experience honed from recent editions of the IPL to counter conditions in the UAE. Conditions in Australia will be much different, and I'm not convinced that will play to the strengths of this group as much as it will some others.
Star man: Much has been made of TRENT BOULT's decision to give up his New Zealand central contract, but the Kiwis will be relieved to have Boult leading the bowling attack in Australia. There have been times in the last year when Boult has seemingly been fighting a lone hand with the ball, namely when New Zealand took a mauling in last summer's Test series against England, or in last year's World Cup final when the left-armer returned outstanding figures of 4-0-18-2 in Australia's successful run chase of 173. Soon enough, New Zealand will have to get used to life without Boult, but expect him to lead from the front again in the coming weeks.
Richard Mann’s pointer: MARTIN GUPTILL has been a fantastic servant to New Zealand cricket but he is 36 now and his star is on the wane. In T20I appearances in 2022, Guptill hasn't once made a half-century with neither his average of 23.20 in that period, nor his strike-rate of 122.75, inspiring much confidence. Shorting his runs, particularly against top-class opposition, should prove a profitable exercise.
Sri Lanka
Sky Bet outright odds: 25/1
Squad: Dasun Shanaka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Kasun Rajitha, Ashen Bandara, Lahiru Kumara, Binura Fernando, Pramod Madushan.
Captain: Dasun Shanaka
2021 World Cup: Fourth in Group 1
Overview: Sri Lanka rallied impressively having slipped to a shock opening match defeat to Namibia. The UAE were dispatched by a wide margin with the minimum of fuss, before Sri Lanka had too many guns for the Netherlands. Runs for Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis would suggest the top order is in safe hands, but one suspects they will need to score a lick quicker once the competition hots up. Wanindu Hasaranga is already up to seven wickets for the tournament, having finished as the leading wicket-taker in last year's competition, and he will lead an attack that bowled their side to Asia Cup glory not so long ago.
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