T20 World Cup, Group D Preview: South Africa, Sri Lanka lead pack with Bangladesh holding outside chance

Sri Lanka, champions of the 2014 T20 World Cup, and South Africa are the top contenders to go through to the Super 8s from Group D of the 2024 edition. But they will face tough resistance from Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal. As Netherlands showed at the 2022 T20 World Cup and again at the ODI World Cup last year, it would be naiive to be overly confident of one’s chances at the tournament in West Indies and the USA.

Nepal, set to play their second T20 World Cup, are the minnows on paper but given the shock factor of the format, the five teams would be better off not getting complacent.

Only the top two teams will go through from each group to the Super 8 stage of the competition.

South Africa

South Africa are the highest ranked team in the group and title favourites for some. The Proteas would be keen to shed their underachievers tag having done reasonably well to remove the ‘chokers’ tag last year.

A strong squad features experienced names in Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller and Reeza Hendricks. Klaasen comes in after a stellar IPL season for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. South Africa would be banking on youngsters Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs to deliver as well.

The seamers - Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen and Ottniel Baartman - bring assurance. Meanwhile, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin form the spin department.

However one big gap in the South Africa squad is the presence of a genuine all-rounder even though Jansen can chip in in both departments.

Player to watch out for: Heinrich Klaasen

Klaasen has produced staggering numbers in the last two years. Since the edition in Australia in 2022, Klaasen is averaging 41 at an eye-watering strike-rate of 182. With spin being the flavour in slow conditions of West Indies and the USA, he would be licking his lips considering his strike rate of 192 in last couple of years.

He comes into the tournament after scoring 479 runs from 16 matches in the IPL. It includes four fifties with runs coming at a strike rate of 171.

Squad

Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs

Fixtures

3 June: Sri Lanka vs South Africa
8 June: Netherlands vs South Africa
10 June: South Africa vs Bangladesh
14 June: South Africa vs Nepal

Sri Lanka

Appointed the Sri Lanka captain, Wanindu Hasaranga has a big task ahead of him at the T20 World Cup. Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, and Dhananjaya De Silva form a strong batting group. Angelo Mathews and Dasun Shanaka are the experienced seam-bowling all-rounders with Hasaranga and Dunith Wellalage as the other all-rounders.

Hasaranga will find support from Maheesh Theekshana in the spin bowling department. Dilshan Madushanka’s bowling prowess might come in handy at the start with Matheesha Pathirana there for the death overs with Dushmantha Chameera, and Nuwan Thushara completing the seam-bowling attack.

Player to watch out for: Matheesha Pathirana

Pathirana, a right-arm seamer, has turned heads in cricket with similarity to Lankan great Lasith Malinga both in a numerical and style sense. However, he has played just six T20Is.

His bowling action achieves similar levels of speed, dip and destruction.

In the 2024 IPL, before an injury, Pathirana took 13 wickets from six matches at an average of 13, blowing top orders away in the powerplay and crushing yorkers at the death.

With speeds touching 150kmph, Pathirana could be the bowler to watch during the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Squad

Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka, Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, Dilshan Madushanka. Traveling Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and Janith Liyanage

Fixtures

3 June: Sri Lanka vs South Africa
7 June: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
11 June: Sri Lanka vs Nepal
16 June: Sri Lanka vs Netherlands

Bangladesh

Bangladesh haven’t been past the second round of the T20 World Cup and will need some doing to overturn that record in the upcoming tournament. Led by Najmul Hossain Shanto, the Bangla Tigers have concerns in the batting department and are expected to rely heavily on Shakib Al Hasan in the bowling.

Litton Das been out of form with an average of 13.16 in six matches this year. Tawhid Hridoy can make a difference, though, with consecutive seasons of 400-plus runs in the Bangladesh Premier League. In the international arena, Hridoy has improved against spin (averaging 40-plus) and pace (strike rate of 150-plus) both.

Shakib is a controversial figure but one that Bangladesh cannot do without. The former skipper is closing in on 50 wickets in T20 World Cup history and could be valuable in spin-friendly conditions of the Americas.

Player to watch out for: Mustafizur Rahman

With conditions set to be fruitful for spinners, Mustafizur Rahman’s off-cutters may be extremely handy against the opposition batters. ‘Fizz’ took 14 wickets for Chennai Super Kings in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL).

Squad

Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Taskin Ahmed (Vice Captain), Litton Kumer Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Travelling reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud

Fixtures

7 June: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
10 June: South Africa vs Bangladesh
13 June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands
16 June: Bangladesh vs Nepal

Netherlands

Netherlands have created two of the biggest shocks in ICC World Cup events in the last two years and would be keen to make it three years in a row. South Africa would be extremely wary of them when the two teams meet on 8 June in New York.

Michael Levitt, 20, has been included in the squad in the absence of Colin Ackermann after an impressive hundred against Namibia.

Captain Scott Edwards, Bas de Leede, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Sybrand Engelbrecht, Vikram Singh and Wesley Barresi form the core of the Dutch team.

Player to watch out for: Bas de Leede

The batting all-rounder has been key to the Dutch cause with the bat and the ball. In his 34 T20I matche career, Bas de Leede has scored 677 runs and taken 30 wickets. For his impressive performance last year, he was awarded the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year.

However, the 24-year-old has played little T20I cricket of late, with his recent appearances against Scotland and Ireland being his first T20I matches since 2022.

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. Reserve: Kyle Klein

Fixtures

4 June: Netherlands vs Nepal
8 June: Netherlands vs South Africa
13 June: Bangladesh vs Netherlands
16 June: Sri Lanka vs Netherlands

Nepal

And #Rhinos are flying to the world cup on a winning note 🇳🇵🎊

🇳🇵successfully chase down the target winning the match by 6 wickets#WIndiesATourOfNEP | #WorldCupYear2024 | #NepaliCricket pic.twitter.com/2Tw5b2DsMC

— CAN (@CricketNep) May 4, 2024

A young side captained by 21-year-old Rohit Paudel, Nepal came through the continental qualifiers to book their place in the T20 World Cup. Their only previous appearance in the extravaganza came in 2014 when they were bundled out in the group stage. To do any better this time, they will have to significantly punch above their weight.

Paudel’s form coming into the tournament could inspire the team. He scored 112, 71* and 82 against West Indies A.

Gulshan Jha, who played the U-19 World Cup earlier in the year, and Pratis GC are the other youngsters who can make a mark. Sompal Kami, the fast bowling all-rounder, is the only surviving player from Nepal’s 2014 sojourn, alongside Karan KC as the team’s senior members.

Away from all this, Sandeep Lamichhane has hogged media attention after his visa application for the USA was denied. The leg spinner was arrested in a rape case a couple of months ago. But he was acquitted earlier this month by a Kathmandu District Court. As a result, Cricket Association of Nepal lifted his suspension. Two days before the tournament begins, the 23-year-old is not part of the squad.

Player to watch out for: Dipendra Singh Airee

Airee became the latest entrant to the six sixes club in T20 cricket when he struck consecutive big hits in the ACC Men’s T20I Premier Cup clash against Qatar. He joined Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard as the third men’s player to hit six sixes in an over. He also holds the record for the fastest T20I fifty - taking just nine balls to the milestone.

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

Fixtures

4 June: Netherlands vs Nepal
11 June: Sri Lanka vs Nepal
14 June: South Africa vs Nepal

16 June: Bangladesh vs Nepal