Brian Lara, legendary West Indies batter, has unveiled the names of his four choices for the semi-finalists of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. He also named the two teams he thinks will play the final of the T20 World Cup 2024.
The T20 World Cup will begin on June 1 with 55 matches spread across nine locations in the West Indies and the United States. The semifinals are planned for June 26 and 27, with the final on June 29 in Barbados.
The event divides teams into four groups, with each participating in different places for a chance to win the title. The ninth T20 World Cup is less than three weeks away, and excitement in the cricket community is obvious. For the first time, up to 20 teams will compete in the premier event.
According to the former left-hander, India, West Indies, England and Afghanistan will qualify for the last four.
“The West Indies should do well. They have a lot of individual stars and when they come together as a team, they do well. India, with all their cry over selection, they find themselves in the top four. England, they seem to enjoy Caribbean a lot, lay on the beach a lot, so they will be there. For the fourth spot, I think Afghanistan. They are capable of getting into the four,” Lara told Press Trust of India.
The West Indies were the first team to win the tournament two times, while India was the winner of the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. England won the tournament in 2010 and 2022, while Afghanistan is yet to play in the knockouts of the event.
India and West Indies to play in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024, predicts Brian Lara
Brian Lara believes that the current West Indies cricket squad has the potential to reach the final of the forthcoming 2024 T20 World Cup in June. The cricketer-turned-commentator stated that the team, which will be led by Rovman Powell, consists of several skilled individuals who can perform well together.
Furthermore, Lara stated that Team India can reach the final and that a title showdown between the ‘Men in Blue’ and the tournament co-host will “make up” for the mistakes made during the 2007 ODI World Cup in the Caribbean. According to the great batter, India’s first-round exit and the West Indies’ failure to advance to the semifinals “killed” the tournament’s buzz in 2007.
“The West Indies should do well. They have a lot of individual stars and when they come together as a team they do well. India, with all its cry over the selection, they find themselves in the top four. India and West Indies final is going to make up for so much wrong that has happened in the past. India missed out in 2007 in the second round, which killed us in the Caribbean. We don’t want that to happen again. So, India and West Indies in the final and may the best team win,” Lara said.
The tournament will commence on 1 June with co-hosts USA taking on neighbors Canada.
Groups for T20 World Cup 2024
Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, United States
Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman
Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea
Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Nepal
Also Read: Bangladesh Announce T20 World Cup 2024 Squad; Najmul Hossain Shanto Named Captain