World T20 Cricket India 2021: Preview & Predictions

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be one of the highlights of the cricket calendar in 2021, with a host of teams holding a genuine chance of lifting the trophy.

The tournament was initially due to be staged in Australia during 2020, but will now take place in India in October and November.

India are the current favourites to win the tournament, and plenty of punters who bet online at 888sport will back them to achieve the feat.

However, none of the previous six editions of the T20 World Cup have been won by the hosts, suggesting that India may not have things all their own way.

Read on as we take a look at the 2021 World T20 in India and predict who we think will come out on top in the tournament.

World T20 Teams & Qualification

The top nine ranked ICC Full Members and hosts India qualified directly for the tournament, with a further six nations progressing through qualifiers.

India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies and Afghanistan qualify for the Super 12s, with the remaining eight teams place in the group stage.

This will feature Sri Lanka, Ireland, Papua New Guinea and Oman in Group A, with Bangladesh, Namibia, Netherlands and Scotland in Group B.

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 12 round which sees the eight big guns join the tournament.

World T20 Group Stage

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are currently ranked seventh and eighth in the T20 world rankings and should qualify for the Super 12s with ease.

A series whitewash of Pakistan last year highlighted Sri Lanka’s ability and the 2014 champions are fully expected to finish top of Group A.

Bangladesh are much-improved in this version of the game,and they look a good bet to claim top spot in Group B.

Ireland and Netherlands are fancied to qualify alongside that pair, although Namibia could prove to be troublesome.

World T20 Super 12s

The top two teams from qualifying Group A will join Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand and West Indies in Group 1.

England, India, South Africa and Afghanistan are in Group 2 and will be joined by the two successful teams from Group B.

Australia, England, India and Pakistan are the current top four ranked teams in the world and predictably are at the head of the outright betting market.

The quartet will fancy their chances of reaching the semi-finals and are the most likely candidates to challenge for the title.

World T20 Schedule

World T20 Prediction

India were overwhelming favourites to win the last edition of the tournament, but they ultimately came up short against West Indies in the semi-finals.

They will once again fancy their chances of winning on home soil to become the first ever hosts to lift the prestigious trophy.

However, England appeal as the value bet as they seek redemption for their last-gasp defeat against the Windies in the 2016 final.

Their squad contains some of the best players around, and they are strongly fancied to win the T20 World Cup for the second time.