(Telegraph India)
Veteran Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon recently offered his forecast for the T20 World Cup 2024, slated for June in the West Indies and the USA. Lyon disregarded strong contenders like India, England, and South Africa while selecting the potential finalists for the upcoming ICC tournament.
The defending champions, England, led by Jos Buttler, claimed victory in the 2022 T20 World Cup by defeating Pakistan in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). India, on the other hand, faced disappointment after succumbing to defeat against the eventual champions in the semi-finals.
A total of 20 teams will vie for the trophy in this global event, divided into four groups of five teams each. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super 8 stage, and the top four teams will advance to the semi-finals, aiming for a spot in the ultimate showdown.
Nathan Lyon says They Have Quality Spin Bowlers.
Nathan Lyon foretold Australia and Pakistan as the contenders for the T20 World Cup final. Lyon admitted his favoritism towards Australia and highlighted Pakistan’s strong spin-bowling arsenal, suggesting they could excel in the tournament’s conditions.
“These are my 2024 cricket predictions. For the T20 final teams, Australia, obviously, because I’m quite biased towards them. I’m going to go with Pakistan. In those conditions, they have quality spin bowlers but also electric batters like Babar Azam,” Nathan Lyon said.
Australia finds itself in Group B alongside England, Namibia, Oman, and Scotland for the T20 World Cup 2024. Commencing their campaign, the 2021 champions are set to encounter Oman in their inaugural match in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday, June 6. Subsequently, the Mitchell Marsh-led squad will confront England in their second group stage clash at the same venue on June 8.
Despite his noteworthy performances for the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL 2024, young batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk failed to secure a spot in the squad. Similarly, veteran batsman Steven Smith also found himself omitted from the lineup. The Australian team, under the leadership of all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, comprises spinners Ashton Agar and Adam Zampa.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside India, the USA, Canada, and Ireland. Babar Azam’s team is slated to kick off their campaign against the USA in Dallas on June 6, followed by a clash against arch-rivals India in New York on June 9. Their group stage fixtures also include encounters against Canada and Ireland in the tournament.
The Pakistan squad for the T20 World Cup comprises Babar Azam as captain, along with players Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Usman Khan.
