T20 World Cup team guide: Australia fast bowlers should thrive on home turf

James Milton's team guide for the 2022 T20 World Cup which starts in Australia on Sunday, October 16.

First round Group A

Namibia

Namibia enjoyed a memorable 2021 T20 World Cup, beating Ireland and the Netherlands to reach the Super 12 stage where they won a low-scoring bottom-of-the-table clash with Scotland.

May's 3-2 T20 series win in Zimbabwe suggests they are capable of qualifying for the second phase again, probably as runners-up to Sri Lanka.

Netherlands

The Dutch lost all three games at last year's World Cup, where they were skittled for 44 by Sri Lanka, and in June they conceded an ODI record total of 498-4 against England.

They ran New Zealand fairly close in two home T20 defeats in August, though, and have some local knowledge as captain Scott Edwards, batsman Tom Cooper and seamer Timm van der Gugten all grew up in Australia.

Sri Lanka

The Lankans, T20 world champions in 2014, breezed through to the Super 12 stage last year, hammering Namibia, Ireland and the Netherlands before beating Bangladesh and West Indies in Group 1.

They have kicked on in 2022, upsetting Pakistan in last month's Asia Cup final, and could be dangerous outsiders under inspirational skipper Dasun Shanaka.

UAE

The UAE co-hosted last year's tournament with Oman but failed to qualify and they face a tough challenge in only their second appearance at a T20 World Cup.

They beat Ireland in the final of February's qualifying competition thanks to 112 off 66 balls from opener Muhammad Waseem, one of several Pakistan-born players in the UAE squad.

First round Group B

Ireland

Ireland started their 2021 T20 World Cup campaign with a convincing win over the Dutch but heavy defeats to Sri Lanka and Namibia followed and they may struggle in Group B.

They suffered three straight losses to the UAE in February but beat Afghanistan 3-2 at home in August and fell just five runs short of a target of 226 against India in June.

Scotland

Scotland topped Group B at last year's tournament, with a six-run win over Bangladesh the highlight, but they lost all five of their Super 12 games including a defeat to Namibia.

They were also thrashed by 130 runs against Afghanistan and their only two T20 internationals since the World Cup were a pair of heavy home defeats to New Zealand.

West Indies

The 2012 and 2016 T20 world champions must come through qualifying to reach the Super 12 stage after losing four of their five games at the 2021 World Cup.

The Windies were bowled out for 55 by England in their opener and, while they should avoid an upset in Group B, they are unlikely to trouble the top teams in the tournament.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe started the year by losing six of their eight T20 internationals at home to Namibia and Afghanistan before an encouraging 2-1 series victory over Bangladesh in August.

They claimed a famous ODI win over Australia at the start of September, bowling out the Aussies for 141 in Townsville, but their T20 performances have been less convincing.

Super 12 Group 1

Afghanistan

Captain Mohammad Nabi
Big hitter Najibullah Zadran
Bowling ace Rashid Khan
X factor Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Afghanistan demonstrated their superiority over the Associate nations at last year's T20 World Cup, thrashing Scotland by 130 runs and Namibia by 62 runs.

The Afghans have three top-class spinners in Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and veteran skipper Mohammad Nabi, who have all starred on Australian pitches in the Big Bash, and they impressed at the Asia Cup, beating Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and losing to Pakistan by just one wicket.

Unreliable death bowling and a lack of batting experience in Australia are the main concerns for Afghanistan but they cannot be taken lightly by their Group 1 rivals.

Australia

Captain Aaron Finch
Big hitter Tim David
Bowling ace Mitchell Starc
X factor Glenn Maxwell

Australia's T20 World Cup success last November came as something of a surprise given their poor record at the tournament and dismal 2021 form.

A year later, they look a more powerful side with Tim David joining the resurgent Matthew Wade in the middle-order and a brilliant bowling attack featuring pacemen Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood and top-class T20 leg-spinner Adam Zampa.

Several members of their squad have only recently recovered from injuries and the selectors are already rueing the omission of all-rounder Cameron Green but the Aussies are unlikely to give up their crown easily on home turf.

England

Captain Jos Buttler
Big hitter Alex Hales
Bowling ace Mark Wood
X factor Moeen Ali

England topped their group at the 2021 T20 World Cup in impressive style, thrashing Australia by eight wickets with more than eight overs to spare, and they were well on top in the semi-final against New Zealand.

Sloppy bowling at the death cost them against the Kiwis and that still looks the main area of weakness in a talented T20 unit who should go close once again.

Skipper Jos Buttler is set to open with Alex Hales, who has a stunning Big Bash record in Australia, and if fast bowlers Mark Wood and Reece Topley stay fit then the 2010 champions will be serious contenders.

New Zealand

Captain Kane Williamson
Big hitter Glenn Phillips
Bowling ace Trent Boult
X factor Jimmy Neesham

New Zealand were well beaten by Australia in last year's T20 World Cup final despite a classy 85 from skipper Kane Williamson but the Black Caps claimed a couple of big scalps earlier in the tournament.

They restricted ante-post favourites India to 110-7 to set up a comfortable eight-wicket group-stage win and struck 57 runs in the last three overs of an amazing semi-final run-chase against England.

Trent Boult took 2-18 in the final against Australia but his fellow bowlers had figures of 0-151 and New Zealand are relying on the injury-prone Lockie Ferguson to add some pace to their attack.

Super 12 Group 2

Bangladesh

Captain Shakib Al Hasan
Big hitter Afif Hossain
Bowling ace Mustafizur Rahman
X factor Mehidy Hasan

Bangladesh's only victories in eight games at last year's tournament came against Oman and Papua New Guinea – neither of them renowned cricketing powerhouses – and the Tigers look set to struggle again in Australia.

They lost to Scotland in the first phase, were bowled out for 84 and 73 by South Africa and Australia, and reliable runscorers Mushfiqur Rahum, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah have all retired during the past 12 months.

Series defeats in the West Indies and Zimbabwe this year were followed by Asia Cup losses to Afghanistan and Sri Lanka and avoiding bottom spot in Group 2 is the main objective for the Tigers.

India

Captain Rohit Sharma
Big hitter Suryakumar Yadav
Bowling ace Bhuvneshwar Kumar
X factor Hardik Pandya

India flopped as favourites for the 2021 tournament, failing to make the semi-final after losing to Pakistan, by ten wickets, and New Zealand in their first two group games.

Since winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, India have underperformed considering their incredible talent pool and their 2022 squad has been weakened by injuries to paceman Jasprit Bumrah and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.

Their line-up still looks imposing, helped by Suryakumar Yadav's emergence and Hardik Pandya's all-round resurgence, but their poor record at ICC tournaments is a concern and they cannot afford another slow start as they face Pakistan in their opening fixture again.

Pakistan

Captain Babar Azam
Big hitter Mohammad Rizwan
Bowling ace Shaheen Afridi
X factor Haris Rauf

Pakistan reached the first two T20 World Cup finals, losing to India in 2007 and beating Sri Lanka two years later, and they appeared to be on course for another final appearance last year.

Prolific openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan led them to a ten-wicket rout of rivals India, the first of five wins out of five in Group 2, and they had Australia in deep trouble at 96-5 chasing 177 in the semi-final.

Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf should relish the pacy pitches down under and, with influential all-rounder Shadab Khan fit again, Pakistan should go well again.

South Africa

Captain Temba Bavuma
Big hitter David Miller
Bowling ace Kagiso Rabada
X factor Tristan Stubbs

South Africa have reached the semi-finals only twice in seven T20 World Cup appearances but they were unfortunate to miss out last year after winning four of their five group games.

Their only defeat was in a low-scoring thriller against champions Australia and there is a lot to like about the Proteas' 2022 squad with its battery of quick bowlers, two top-class spinners and middle-order batsman David Miller in the form of his life.

Captain Temba Bavuma is less convincing at the top of the order but South Africa, who beat hosts England 2-1 in July and have won three of their seven T20s in India this year, should not be written off.

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