The 2 week long adrenaline rush that is the World Twenty20 Cup is back and when it comes to this form of the game, the Indians are kings. They are the reigning champions and odds on favourites to repeat their memorable triumph in South Africa two years ago.
The sheer drama of India’s 2007 triumph set the ball rolling for the success of Twenty20
Thrills and spills were in abundance during the inaugural competition. India were on the verge of going out in the group stages but won a thrilling bowl-out against Pakistan to reach the super 8. There they bounced back from defeat against New Zealand to beat England and South Africa and seal a semi-final place. Yuvraj Singh’s brilliant 70 off just 30 balls helped see off Australia before a heroic bowling performance in the final clinched another dramatic win over Pakistan with just 3 balls remaining.
Australia may rule at Test Cricket but when it comes to the game’s shortest form India are the most feared side and with good reason. They have the most dynamic team in the competition with flair and athleticism in abundance. Virtually every member of their starting eleven is a potential match-winner.
8 of the 11 players who won the final last time round are in the 2009 squad which is an exciting mix of new talent and experience. Sehwag, Harbhajan and Dhoni are all back and India’s most experienced bowler Zaheer Khan will be making his world cup debut after missing out 2 years ago.
Suresh Raina: one to watch
The batting line up is as strong as ever. India’s formidable talent production line continues to unearth some gems and 22 year old Suresh Raina could be one of the stars of the tournament. The stylish left-hander combines explosive power with the ability to work the ball into gaps and rotate the strike. Raina set the IPL alight this year with his six-hitting, notching up 21 for the Chennai Super Kings and he finished as the highest Indian run-scorer in the competition.
The combination of Raina and Yuvraj Singh in the middle order will give many a bowler sleepless nights. Yuvraj memorably smashed 6 sixes in an over last time round and his savage hitting saw off Australia in the semi-finals. If Sehwag, Raina and Yuvraj don’t succeed then there’s always the captain Mahendra Dhoni who’s one of the most consistent performers out there.
Indian bowlers topped the stats in this year’s IPL
The bowling isn’t too shabby either. RP Singh was the leading bowler in the IPL this year with 23 wickets at a miserly average of 18.13 and 20 year old Ishant Sharma is another newcomer with a bright future. Sharma has real pace and took 4 wickets in India’s warm-up game against New Zealand. There’s also the swing of Pathan and Zaheer Khan which will suit English pitches at this time of the year and the different angles created by left-handed seamers give batsmen something extra to worry about.
The IPL regulations give India a definate advantage over the rest of the world
The IPL is certainly a crucial element in India’s development into a twenty20 cricketing powerhouse. As a business venture and a spectacle it has been a resounding success and money has been poured into Indian cricket as a result. With the rules forcing each team to pick a certain number of home grown players, players yet to be given an opportunity in the national team get the chance to prove themselves and gain experience in the most pressurized of environments against the world’s elite.
Other countries don’t have this luxury, in an English Twenty20 league match you’re not going to have Sanath Jaysuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, Andrew Flintoff and Matthew Hayden among others turning out for a match. This allows India to pick emerging players safe in the knowledge that they can produce their best in the cauldron of international cricket.
By David Cox, Twenty20Blog.co.uk
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