ICC T20 World Cup: Group D Preview 2024
The 9th edition of the T20 World Cup has come to the action from 2nd June, 2024 with 20 teams being divided into 4 groups. As per the rules, the top 2 teams from each group will move to the Super 8 round to fight to reach the Semifinals. Thus, there will be a total of 55 matches this time, the highest in the history of the T20 World Cup!
Teams in Group D of the T20 World Cup 2024
All 4 groups are comprised of teams with a range of strengths. However, several strong teams have made Group D as “Death Group” because of the presence of several strong teams!
Here are the 5 members of Group D:
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- Netherlands
- Nepal
World Cup Preview: Group D
While South Africa is the top-ranked team in this group (6th in ICC T20 format), the presence of two Asian cricketing nations as well as rivalry between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka can pose a threat to South Africa to ensure their spot in Super 8. Besides, the Netherlands and Nepal can surprise any team in any match.
Thus, the selection of the top 2 is going to be a very competitive one where the cricket enthusiast can expect a tough calculation-based thriller, especially in the last few group matches.Let’s have a preview of the teams’ strengths & weaknesses, squad, and fixture here.
South Africa
From the very beginning of their cricket journey, South Africa has been consistently choking in the crucial stage of all the formats of World Cups and frustrating their fans with tragedies one after another. This promising cricket nation with amazing talents from generations is yet to make it to any World Cup final, let alone win one!
However, they hope to change the trend and make history this time with their current squad leader Aiden Markram; the only member having experience of winning a world cup for the South African under-19 team as captain in 2014. Now, can he do it for South Africa again in 2024?
Squad
- Aiden Markram (c)
- Quinton de Kock
- Reeza Hendricks
- Tristan Stubbs
- Heinrich Klaasen
- Anrich Nortje
- Ottniel Baartman
- Bjorn Fortuin
- Marco Jansen
- Keshav Maharaj
- Kagiso Rabada
- Gerald Coetzee
- David Miller
- Ryan Rickelton
- Tabraiz Shamsi
Match Schedules
1. Date: 03/06/2024
Against: Sri Lanka
Venue: New York
2. Date: 08/06/2024
Against: Netherlands
Venue: New York
3. Date: 10/06/2024
Against: Bangladesh
Venue: New York
4. Date: 14/06/2024
Against: Bangladesh
Venue: St. Vincent
Sri Lanka
Despite being a strong side, Sri Lanka somehow lost track after winning the T20 World Cup in 2014. The economic downturn fueled by political turmoil has slowed down their growth as well. Yet, they could manage an Asia Cup trophy in 2022, which was held in the T20 format, demonstrating their strength in this shorter version of cricket.
Besides, they have bowlers like Matheesha Pathirana who have shown tremendous form in the recently finished IPL. If the players can click at a time in crucial moments, then the squad can expect a repeat of their 2014 memory this year, you never know!
Squad
- Wanindu Hasaranga (c)
- Charith Asalanka
- Kusal Mendis
- Sadeera Samarawickrama
- Angelo Mathews
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Dilshan Madushanka
- Pathum Nissanka
- Dasun Shanaka
- Nuwan Thushara
- Kamindu Mendis
- Dhananjaya De Silva
- MaheeshTheekshana
- DunithWellalage
- Dushmantha Chameera
- Asitha Fernando (Traveling Reserves)
- Vijayakanth Viyaskanth (Traveling Reserves)
- Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Traveling Reserves)
- Janith Liyanage (Traveling Reserves)
Match Schedules
1. Date: 03/06/2024
Against: South Africa
Venue: New York
2. Date: 7/06/2024
Against: Bangladesh
Venue: Dallas
3. Date: 11/06/2024
Against: Nepal
Venue: Florida
4. Date: 16/06/2024
Against: Netherlands
Venue: New York
Bangladesh
Like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh cricket team is also not in good shape at present and looks worse than the Lions. Losing against teams like Zimbabwe and, the USA just before the beginning of the World Cup has already questioned their capability in this format. Besides, they had experienced a miserable defeat against Netherlands in the ODI World Cup last year who are also in this group.
As Bangladesh is optimistic to reach the Super 8, they cannot afford a defeat against opponents like the Netherlands, Nepal and must win against either South Africa or Sri Lanka! But million dollar question is, can they do it?
Squad
- Najmul Hossain Shanto (c)
- Shakib Al Hasan
- Mustafizur Rahman
- Litton Kumer Das
- Soumya Sarkar
- Tanzid Hasan Tamim
- Rishad Hossain
- Tawhid Hridoy
- Taskin Ahmed
- Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam
- Mahmud Ullah Riyad
- Shoriful Islam
- Shak Mahedi Hasan
- Tanzim Hasan Sakib
- Afif Hossain (Travelling reserves)
- Hasan Mahmud (Travelling reserves)
Match Schedules
1. Date: 07/06/2024
Against: Sri Lanka
Venue: Dallas
2. Date: 10/06/2024
Against: South Africa
Venue: New York
3. Date: 13 /06/2024
Against: Netherlands
Venue: St. Vincent
4. Date: 16/06/2024
Against: Nepal
Venue: St. Vincent
Netherlands
Despite being a comparatively weaker side, the Netherlands has a record of upsetting the strong opponents several times in past years. With the leadership of Scott Edwards, the team has some very experienced players in the team as well.
In the last ODI World Cup, they defeated Bangladesh which can surely boost their confidence to do that again in this shorter format. Let’s see how much excitement they can gift to the fans this time!
Squad
- Scott Edwards (c)
- Aryan Dutt
- Bas de Leede
- Daniel Doram, Fred Klaassen
- Logan van Beek
- Max O’Dowd
- Michael Levitt
- Paul van Meekeren
- Sybrand Engelbrecht
- Teja Nidamanuru
- Tim Pringle
- Vikram Singh
- Viv Kingma
- Wesley Barresi
- Kyle Klein (Reserve)
Match Schedules
1. Date: 04/06/2024
Against: Nepal
Venue: Dallas
2. Date: 8/06/2024
Against: South Africa
Venue: New York
3. Date: 13 /06/2024
Against: Bangladesh
Venue: St. Vincent
4. Date: 16/06/2024
Against: Sri Lanka
Venue: St. Vincent
Nepal
Unlike the Netherlands, Nepal is led by a young prodigy Rohit Paudel. Though Nepal started focusing on cricket lately, their improvement is fast enough to grab the attention of cricket experts across the globe. Explosive batters like Dipendra Singh Airee, and Sompal Kami are already discussed widely over social media.
However, to perform better, they must cover up their limited international cricket experience and utilize the youth spirit. As cricket is getting more and more popular, their only one or two wins in this World Cup can boost the spirit of many upcoming cricketers.
Squad
- Rohit Paudel (c)
- Aasif Sheikh
- Anil Kumar Sah
- Kushal Bhurtel
- Kushal Malla
- Dipendra Singh Airee
- Lalit Rajbanshi
- Karan KC
- Gulshan Jha
- Sompal Kami
- Pratis GC
- Sundeep Jora
- Abinash Bohara
- Sagar Dhakal
- Kamal Singh Airee
Match Schedules
1. Date: 04/06/2024
Against: Netherlands
Venue: Dallas
2. Date: 11/06/2024
Against: Sri Lanka
Venue: Florida
3. Date: 14 /06/2024
Against: South Africa
Venue: St. Vincent
4. Date: 16/06/2024
Against: Bangladesh
Venue: St. Vincent
Conclusion
Considering the strengths, weaknesses, recent form, and quality of the players, Group D can be assumed as the most competitive group among the four where reaching the top 2 can be extremely challenging.
Besides, predicting the result becomes tough for this shorter format cricket as teams with comparatively less strength often perform superbly. Since only two or three overs can change the scenario of the game in T20 cricket, the fans can surely expect some exciting matches with tight competition from the matches of this group.
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