Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Actually his T20I record is pretty ordinary. I only included scores against top eight sides. He definitely didn't qualify by my criteria. I guess Faulkner would have been in, but he hasn't played ten games. My suggestions were entirely based on stats, as I think I said.

clubcricketeradi wrote::india

We have a second favourites at last.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:

clubcricketeradi wrote::india

We have a second favourites at last.

Although our team has lost so many series recently and even the T20 warmup versus Sri Lanka , I have observed few things on the basis of which I have India as favorites.

T20I average of 12 odd I think.

India have played only 1 T20I in the last 450 days!

Aus seem to have hit their best run of form in T20's yet. They have never been too good in this format, but now they look to have serious strategies and tactics.

A couple of our old-timers - Hodge and Hogg in particular - have played plenty of the game around the traps now, and could well be great additions. (although it is still hard to believe that Brad Hogg still fools people so consistently with his bowling.)

Not calling it a raffle : obviously skill is involved , though perhaps power is disproportionally rewarded in this format. And the brevity of the matches means luck can have more effect than in longer games , where the stronger team has more scope to exert their greater ability. So any t20 match is pretty open ; which means you wouldn't want to bet on a favourite at short odds...
I reckon several teams could win it : have gone for West Indies to repeat their previous success due to their array of power hitters and Narine.
Not putting money on them either though : they could just as easily go out in the early rounds.

No one likes Pakistan ?

Surprised SA and Pakistan haven't picked up any backers. In his few games, by the way, Tahir has bowled with a very good econ. Can he be their mystery spinner? And Steyn has been effective. I don't fancy Pakistan, but they are liked generally. I see England and NZ as the big outsiders.

The last I heard, Steyne, du Plessis and I think another big gun, were on the doubtful list. I haven't paid any attention to it since, but that was enough for me to think less of their chances.

added to the fact that they ARE South Africa.....

Given their group, a semifinal berth seems pretty straightforward for the Saffas before they do their usual thing.

Pak are strong contenders. India not even in the top 5 IMO. Forget the bowling, even the batting isn't looking too hot.

How did India win the CT in UK?

Thought we were talking about T20Is.

I take that to mean you'd more fancy India in a comparable 50 over competition. But it's hard to make a case for or against India on the basis of T20, because they hardly play T20Is. In their last two games in Asia, they beat Pakistan and Australia (both strong contenders for this), and drew with England 1-1. That takes us back to the last T20WC. In terms of speculating, maybe it helps a little to think sideways from ODIs.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:How did India win the CT in UK?

India won the Champions Trophy by virtue of the final being a Twenty20 and they had more T20 specialist batsmen in their ranks than England did.