An Early Look Into the 2021 ICC T20 Cricket World Cup

It’s surprising the shock and awe of people in general when they learn about the popularity that cricket has around the world. While for many sporting fans their taste in events usually travel towards soccer, football or basketball, cricket could easily give all of these other sports a run for their money in popularity. Just by being India’s most popular sport, cricket can easily boast having one of the biggest fan bases around, bigger than most other mainstream sporting activities. 

Well cricket fans of the world, it’s time to rejoice and get ready. After a long wait, one more than five years long and that saw two 50-overs world events, the much acclaimed ICC T20 World Cup is coming back in 2021. The top online sports betting platforms are already dishing out early odds to who will come out on top of the upcoming tournament in India so let’s break down the upcoming World Cup Tournament and who everyone should keep an eye on come October and November. 

From 2020 in Australia to 2021 in India

The ICC Top 20 World Cup, one of the most important cricket events in the world is finally coming back in 2021. While originally slated to be played in Australia in 2020, given the global coronavirus pandemic appropriate measures were taken in order to assure the health and safety of all participants, basically meaning the tournament had to be cancelled and postponed for another date. At first talks were had about having the tournament in 2022, but with the advances in the battle against COVID, the tournament will now be played between October and November, 2021 in India.

While all the action that cricket fans around the world will be back at full helm, appropriate actions will be taken in order to make sure that the best spectacle in the safest conditions can be held. Ideas of having players stay in bio-securing bubbles as well as not having crowds in attendance for the games are all strategies that have been discussed. The advances in the fight to stop the pandemic will determine how much the ICC T20 WC Tournament will have to adjust and how each team will have to prepare in their run for the title, including our top three early favorites.

England

It was in the last T20 World Cup, in a thrilling final at Eden Gardens in Kolkata that England had their last game in said tournament. A loss to the West Indies team marked the heartbreak that England had to endure on their way to then win a World Cup and come out as favorites to take home the 2021 title. The moving of English players to the IPL has easily and quietly become the best weapon towards helping England become an easy favorite to take the gold. Just the mere fact of having a base of players that can easily understand how to play through all and any of the conditions India offers automatically puts them one step ahead of the competition.

There have been 43 T20I’s played since England lost the 2016 T20 World Cup to the West Indies, having won 24 of those matches along the way. If results, plus the lineup they are bringing to the party gives  any clues, it’s that England is more than ready for the gold.

West Indies

Since we mentioned last T20 World Cup runner ups England, how can we leave out the reigning champions West Indies? In 2016, when they won their second WC Title, in India just like this upcoming time, the West Indies was a team who mastered the game especially in the shortest format. For 2021 guys like Andre Russell and captain Kieron Pollard will be back alongside a team full of power hitters with title gold in their sight.

What could be the one condition in which West Indies could be harmed on their way to the title? Their bowling or well, lack of good bowlers. If their bowlers can rally around and give some good performances to accompany the hitters, all led by Pollard, expect big things from the West Indies.

India

One would think that being the hosts of the tournament, cricket powerhouse India would easily be considered the top favorite to take the crown, and for most people they are. Why, you ask? We could get going with talking loads about the sporting talent but who are we kidding, India’s key to being favorites is that they know better than anyone what it’s like and how to thrive in local conditions.

Given the fact that all their players come from the IPL, where they play at least 14 matches per season, puts them absolutely over the top as favorites. The hopes run by not having everything go to waste with an early exit from the tournament, early meaning nothing less than reaching the finals.