If I am brutally honest, like many followers of the game, I too felt that power-hitting was going to very crucial in this T20 World Cup. However, that did not prove to be the case, at least in the group stage of the tournament. Factors which were crucial to win in the group stage were the effectiveness of the bowling attacks and batting units adjusting to the varying conditions as it changed from venue to venue.
West Indies qualifying for the Super 8s is a big development in context of how low-scoring the tournament has been. Windies were one of the favourites ahead of the tournament because of the fact they had a batting unit that could do a lot of power-hitting throughout the innings. But quite contrary to this perception, what impressed me more is their bowling performance. Their bowling lineup has seemed suited to the conditions and they have exploited that really well.
One of the standout performers for Windies has been Akeal Hosein. He has picked up 7 wickets in 3 games but more importantly he has bowled exceptionally well throughout while opening the bowling. He has provided great starts to West Indies with the ball which is such a crucial element in this tournament.
Gudakesh Motie, another left-arm spinner, has delivered a good show as well. Alzarri Joseph has been in top form with the ball. Andre Russell, like he did in the IPL, has contributed a lot with the ball. He is known all over the world for his powerhitting at the death but his medium paced bowling is hugely underrated as when it comes good, he wins his team more games.
West Indies have a well-rounded bowling attack that suits the conditions. They have the home advantage but they are also ensuring they are executing their plans well and playing the right eleven. Their batting has not displayed the typical power-hitting masterclass yet because of the conditions. But they still have been able to come out with ways to put up decent scores. There have been vital contributions in every game from a West Indian batter.
Nicholas Pooran batting at number 3 is a huge plus and I am not going to shy away from reiterating this point again. My readers know how huge a fan I am of Pooran coming to bat in the top 4. We do not see that enough and I believe it is the right idea. He may not have got big runs yet at number 3 but he has made important contributions. If that top order can fire, Windies are going to be side to fear in the super 8s.
At the start of the tournament, I was not very sure if Windies will be able to adjust their game as per the conditions. But they have reacted pretty well to the challenges and it will be fascinating to see them perform in the next stage.
As far as the Afghanistan are concerned, I like to call them as ‘worldly-wise’ players. They have players who have tasted a bit of every T20 league in the world and played almost everywhere
around the cricketing globe. Whether CPL, IPL, BBL, or PSL, their cricketers have played all of these tournaments. They might not be playing together in most parts of the world together but individually, they have gained a lot of experience. When these players gather for these world tournaments having played in most types of conditions all around the world, they all bring something to the table. This is a big reason why we have seen Afghanistan grow so quickly in international cricket.
Afghanistan have played superbly in the tournament and it reflects in the stats as the top run getter so far is an Afghan batter in form of Rahmanullah Gurbaz while the top wickettaker is also an Afghan – Fazalhaq Farooqi. That stands them in good stead because they have got two in form players with both bat and ball.
The win against New Zealand must have given them a huge dose of confidence going further into the tournament. This was New Zealand, one of the fancied sides in the tournament and to bowl them out for just 75 is a great achievement for any bowling side.
Afghanistan have shown, through their short international history, a dependency on Rashid Khan. He is their star player. They must be happy to see him regain his form to some extent after a poor IPL campaign. He has bowled economically in the tournament and he is still their go-to player when the chips are down. Afghanistan have plenty of good spin options in their ranks. Noor Ahmad too have been very impressive. But I feel the game-changers with the ball have been Naveen-ul-Haq and Farooqui. It is them who bowl at the start, in the middle and then at the death. They have more say with the ball when it comes to deciding the outcome of the game.
I think Naveen and Faqooqui have been underestimated as bowlers in this format. They have had a huge impact in the tournament and they are going to be key players again in the game vs West Indies.
Ibrahim Zadran and Gurbaz have batted superbly at the top. Azmatullah is an excellent cricketer, in my eyes. I know he is not someone who is consistent in his performances but I think he is a game-changing cricketer who still has got plenty to offer.
The ground, St Lucia, will add interesting dynamics to this nicely setup contest. It does not turn a huge amount their historically. Both sides have enough spin options which have been might effective in the tournament so far.
If it begins to turn big, that will give Afghanistan an edge. But if it is not a turning track, which might also turn out to be the case, I think Windies will gain an advantage.
Both these teams have played excellent cricket so far and have got a great balance to the side. I am expecting it to be a mouth-watering contest which sets the tone for the Super 8s.
