The Twenty20 World Cup looks set to be a sensational tournament hosted by the United States and the West Indies, with India and Australia expected to battle it out for supremacy.
The competition will see a total of 20 participants battling for ultimate glory starting on June 1 with the final set for June 29.
Among a host of major names come Australia, with the nation serial winners in international cricket and looking to snare the T20 World Cup crown to go alongside the ODI crown they secured in India in 2023.
Their stunning win over India in the final of the ODI World Cup has put a target on their back, although there are very few times in which Australia have arrived for a tournament outside of the main group of favourites.
Newbettingsites.com.au make the Aussies as among the sides to back with Australia 5.00 to secure the title and snatch another trophy away from England. The English are 5.00 too, although this comes after their torrid ODI World Cup campaign in which they failed to make the knockout stages.
India are the favourites at 3.75, while South Africa (8.00), New Zealand, Pakistan (both 9.00) and the West Indies (13.00) make up the top-seven.
While India arrive as the favourites, their inability to deal with being at the top of the betting has continually hamstrung them.
Playing in their own tournament at the 50 over World Cup in 2023, India simply had to win after romping to the final. However, they were left stunned by Australia in a display of how not to play a final.
Australia’s winning mentality is not something that can be taught, and winning is in their blood, and that is something that has made them so successful.
The Aussies are one of only six sides to win a T20 World Cup crown across the eight iterations of the format. Meanwhile, they have six 50 over World Cup crowns in 13 tournaments in an incredible show of dominance.
Australia’s World Cup group sees them paired with reigning champions England, while Namibia, Scotland and Oman are also jostling for position. With the top-two advancing, both the Aussies and England will be confident, with the sides likely fighting for top-spot.
From here, the Super 8s, semi-finals and final await, with Australia keen to be the last team standing once again.
Cricket is currently blessed with some superb teams and players. Any of India, Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa or the West Indies can win the title, while Bangladesh and Afghanistan are no pushovers.
As soon as the competition reaches the Super 8’s stage, things will really heat up. There will be no easy games, and it makes that ability to win even when playing poorly so important.
England have showcased this in recent years, while Australia did exactly that in 2023. They were awful at the start of the tournament before exploding into life.
Their first game against Oman will provide a good way to start the tournament before they face England. With some of the best players in the game with bat and ball in hand likely to start for the side, Australia will be the first choice of many this year.
While the full squads for the tournament are yet to be announced, the likes of Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummings, Mitchell Starc and Travis Head will likely feature and prove vital to their hopes of notching their second T20 title success.
Anything can happen in a competition in which matches come thick and fast and there are so many well matched teams. Australia cannot afford too many slipups if any if they are to secure the title.
Even when boasting some of the best talent in the world in their side, Australia know they will have to deal with the likes of Jos Buttler, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli and Babar Azam among others. As mentioned, it is not always about consistently playing at 100%, instead, at times a team needs to simply play the opponent in front of them.
Following their triumph in 2023 in the 50 over World Cup, the Aussies are rightly in the upper-echelons of the betting heading into the tournament.
While the odds will likely shift massively as each game is played, Australia know that if they play to their potential once again, they have every chance of lifting the trophy this year.
