India
Should win. But look a bit tired, and their swing bowlers have been bowling pretty straight. They perhaps miss a proper quick quick bowler, but have everything else you can need for a 2020 match. This is where the smart money is. Come in with 6 weeks of IPL in their back pocket, the most explosive batting line up in 2020 history (sorry had to say that), and as reigning champions, anything less than a win is a slap in the face to their fans.
Reason they will win: With Sehwagology on your side, how can you lose.
Reason they will lose: No Katrina, Preity, or Shilpa to spur them on.
South Africa
Deserved second favourites. They have everything a 2020 team needs, annoying spinner, proper quick bowlers, guys that swing the ball, all rounders, athletic fielding, great finishers, mad sloggers, quick aggregators and most of their team was in the IPL. Problem is they are still South Africa; something about world tournaments makes them shit themselves. I will never put money on them until they actually win a tournament like this.
Reason they will win: Albie Morkel is the metrosexual Lance Klusener.
Reason they will lose: Jacques Kallis.
Australia
Being that the Ashes are coming up straight after, you would have to question the mindset of more than a few players. That said they have come out breathing fire, Lee is trying to prove he is Ashes worthy, and Mitchell is unplayable. They have to get through the group of death (the only group without a minnow), and the top order has to fire. They could win this. They have a long batting list, but no spinner, and still don’t seem to take 2020 as seriously as others. If I were betting I would put my money on them. Not much though.
Reason they will win: Andrew Symonds is pretending the ball is Andrew Hilditch.
Reason they will lose: Nathan Hauritz might play.
Sri Lanka
There were a few of us who thought they would be a real threat in this tournament. Their form in the warm up games has been diarrhoea. There are already whispers that the team is jumpy being together for the first time since they were shot at. On talent this is still a superstar line up, a lot of match winners, but they are playing like pants. They just have two many good players to not be a factor in this tournament. Malinga is in career best form, and Dilshan isn’t far behind.
Reason they will win: To make King Kumar Sangakkara proud.
Reason they will lose: They are scared of Oxford; imagine if their bus goes through Brixton to get to the Oval.
Pakistan
Who knows what they will do. They usually don’t. They have struggled in the warm ups, but Pakistan does love the spotlight during the world tournaments. Now they have a real captain (not the work experience kid Malik). They have a lot of match winners with the bat, and their spin department is pretty damn good. Don’t write them off, but putting money on them would make you a problem gambler, get help.
Reason they will win: None of their players have genital warts.
Reason they will lose: Thanks to Lalit Modi none of them got to play in the official warm up tournament (IPL).
One of the top 3 should win, if I was held at knife point I would say that Australia might ass this, India and South Africa have the better teams, but I can just see Australia slipping by them. I would be very surprised if anyone outside the top 3 won.
The teams that won’t win, but might stick around for a while.
New Zealand lack real quality 2020 bowlers and Jesse has his mind on other things.
England will miss Freddie and don’t really factor in white ball tournaments.
West Indies have the talent, but they won’t make a million per man for winning this, so what is the point.
Bangladesh are 5 years away from being serious contenders; most of their players are still waiting for their pubic area to be covered in manly hair.
To be fair I was finding it hard to take this competition seriously, but after a great day at the warm up games I am prepared to take it seriously until my mood changes.
What do you mean you haven’t bought Jarrod’s book yet?
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