T20 World Cup 2021
The wait is over! The T20 cricket World Cup is finally upon us! Join Bet and Win in wishing South Africa good luck!
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Not since 2016 has there been a Men’s T20 World Cup. Due to COVID-19 there have been many changes to the planned 2020 event. The official host country of Australia changed to 2022 hosts India, along with the event moving to 2021. Subsequently due to the dire state of the pandemic in India, the t20 cricket world cup 2021 venue changed again to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
With the recently concluded the 2021 Indian Premier League in the same location, fans are excited to see who can carry their form over into the international cricket scene. Defending champions, the West Indies will undoubtedly be looking to increase their tally as the past winners with the most victories.
T20 World Cup History and Format
The inaugural men’s T20 cricket world cup took place in 2007 in South Africa. Since then, there have been five further tournaments. Originally planned to take place every two years, the event has been absent from the cricketing calendar since 2016. Of the previous winners, the West indies have been the most successful team, winning the title the twice. India, Pakistan, England, and Sri Lanka are the other teams who have tasted success.
The 2021 tournament comprises of 16 teams, divided into two rounds. In the first round eight teams are split into two groups, where they play each other once. The top two teams of each group progress to the next round. Here they join the eight top-ranked teams, thus beginning the Super-12 stage of the tournament. These 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six. As in the first round, each team will play each other once. The top two teams in each group will progress to the semi-finals.
If you are new to cricket and would like to get a better understanding of T20 cricket why not read our all about T20 cricket article.
South African prospects
Ranked 5th in the world for the T20 format, South Africa heads into the tournament with an outside chance of winning the title. Higher ranked teams such as England, Australia, India, and the West Indies are the teams to watch. While this may be true, this could favour the Proteas. With lower-than-usual expectations, the South African’s have the opportunity to go slightly under the radar. Perennial under-achievers at World Cups, one could view this as a chance for the Proteas to play their natural game without the added pressure that usually bestows them.
The recent T20 series win against Sri Lanka will have bolstered the team’s confidence heading into the tournament. The beauty of this format of the game is that matches change in an instant. Teams with a few match-winners tend to the best equipped for success. One thing for sure is that South Africa is not short on these.
Quinton de Kock, David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen, all with With their swashbuckling T20 batting styles, can all turn a game on its head. Consistency in this department is the only thing that fans will be hoping for. Bowling stalwarts Kagiso Rabada and Tabraiz Shamsi are players any opposition in the world would hope to avoid. It is how these two players receive support that one feels will make a difference to South Africa’s success.
Do we need to worry?
One area of concern is the two previous Protea players who have been over-looked for selection. Both Faf du Plessis and Imran Tahir are conspicuous in their absence. Du Plessis played a man of the match role in the final of the recent IPL and ended that tournament as the second highest run scorer. While Tahir, who in 2017 held the No. 1 bowling ranking in both ODI’s and T20I’s, is one of the best bowlers who has ever graced the shorter format of the game.
Other t20 world cup contenders
Many believe that South Africa is in the ‘pool of death’. With Australia, England, and the West Indies all in the same group, the fight for the all-important top two places will be intense. Factor in the two qualifiers from the first round, and no team can afford to let their guard down or take any match too lightly. All the previous winners of the tournament can consider themselves contenders for the title. High ranked nations such as New Zealand and Australia also have a good chance to go far. This means that essentially there are eight teams who could realistically compete for the win. Current form and previous success may be the key factor that decides things at the end. Individual brilliance cannot be ignored. T20 games have long provided a platform for some unbelievable cricketing performances. This trend will surely continue this time around.
For the fans
With minimal sport occurring over the last year and a half, this T20 world cup 2021 is a welcome relief for players and fans alike. Even with a new host country and less international fans than one would usually expect, the tournament will be a success. The fact that the showpiece can go ahead, along with the ability to watch the games world-over is a great achievement. Hopefully the momentum gained from this tournament carries on into 2022. Whoever ends up winning in 2021 will only be World Champions for a year. While the bragging rights may be briefer than usual, all the participating teams will gladly take this opportunity to be crowned the best in the world.
The stage is set for a memorable month of the T20 world cup 2021. Who will be the heroes and villains? Will there be a repeat winner in 2021, or will a new champion emerge? We will know the answers to these questions come the 14th of November. We can’t wait to watch it all unfold.
With Cricket being the second most watch sport in the world after soccer, one can only imagine the volume of bets placed during these types of tournaments.
Online Cricket Betting
If you are interested in betting on cricket, why not do it from the comfort of you home, or pocket. We have reviewed the best online betting sites for cricket in South Africa. Click through to see which bookies we rate highly.
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If you are new to online betting or would like some tips on betting on cricket, have a look at our cricket betting strategy and tips. Whether you decide to bet on one or a few games, always remember to stop when the fun stops.
