As the 10th ICC T20 World Cup kicks off on Saturday, India faces a challenging start with a group-stage match against the USA. Amid Pakistan’s boycott of the India clash and Bangladesh being replaced by Scotland, India, led by Suryakumar Yadav, seeks to become the first team to defend their T20 World Cup title and claim a record third crown
All 20 captains of participating teams at the T20 World Cup during a photoshoot on Thursday. Pic/Special Arrangement
A late withdrawal, an even later one-match boycott with potentially far-reaching ramifications and an air of unease, if not apprehension, is exactly the kind of build-up the latest edition of the T20 World Cup could have done without.
Any World Cup is the flagship event of its discipline with the best in the world squaring off for top-dog status. But it is also meant to be a celebration of sporting excellence and of settling matters on the field. Unfortunately, that’s not the case ahead of the 10th edition of a tournament that has grown significantly since a modest beginning in South Africa in 2007.
Bangladesh’s tit-for-tat at Kolkata Knight Riders withdrawing Mustafizur Rahman from IPL 2026, unquestionably under instructions, has triggered a standoff that has done no one any credit. Relations between India and Bangladesh have hit a new low in the last year and a half; once Mustafizur was dropped, Bangladesh demanded that their matches be moved out of India to Sri Lanka, the co-hosts, flagging security concerns.
ICC’s conundrum
The ICC, caught between a rock and a hard place, understandably turned down Bangladesh’s demand once it ascertained that those concerns were without basis, which led to Bangladesh pulling out and being replaced by Scotland. Pakistan, the other stormy petrel in this story, decided at a governmental level that while the team would travel to Colombo and play all other matches in its group, it would boycott the February 15 marquee showdown against India.
It’s disappointing that these developments have dominated the narrative just two days out of the tournament, which kicks off on Saturday. Defending champions and firm favourites India will play the final game on the opening day, against the USA, at the Wankhede Stadium, where they lifted the 2011 World Cup. No host has won the T20 World Cup, nor has any side defended its crown.
India, under Suryakumar Yadav, have scaled unprecedented heights in the last year and a half and will be hoping to buck the trend while becoming the first nation to annex the trophy for a third time. But they know that despite their powerful batting line-up and a versatile bowling unit spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, their task won’t be straightforward.
Among those who will fancy their chances are two-time champions England, coming off a heartening rout of Sri Lanka in the latter’s backyard, and South Africa, last edition’s finalists. Of course, perennially in the mix will be the Antipodeans, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka will seek to maximise their familiarity with conditions.
WI could spring a surprise
West Indies have the resources to emulate their title-wins in 2012 and 2016, and Afghanistan have the quality and belief that they can go one better than in 2024, when they made the semis. All in all, so much to look forward to on the field. Hopefully, that’s where the focus will remain trained.
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