Minnows’ chance at T20 glory

The ICC World T20 starts today. No, really it does, just that most would not have heard, because, well, Afghanistan v Scotland is not a very sexy match-up.

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Johannesburg - The ICC World T20 starts on Tuesday. No, really it does, just that most would not have heard, because, well, Afghanistan v Scotland and Zimbabwe v Hong Kong, aren’t very sexy match-ups.

Add in more allegations of attempts at match-fixing as laid out by the ICC on Monday, the conclusion of the Asia Cup and the on-going series between Australia and South Africa and there’s enough to occupy the attention of the casual cricketer viewer.

The first round of the competition involves eight teams that have been split into two groups who are playing for two spots in second round of the tournament which begins next week, when the sport’s super powers arrive in India.

The four teams kick-starting what is in effect a preliminary stage of the tournament on Tuesday have been placed in Group B, arguably the weaker of the two groups. Group A includes Bangladesh, fresh off their run to the Asia Cup final, the Netherlands, Ireland and Oman. Given conditions and recent victories against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the Asia Cup, the Bangladeshis are firm favourites to win Group A and thus qualify for the second round.

However, in Ireland and the Netherlands they will face tough opposition, desperate to prove a point. Ireland are on a seemingly endless quest to prove they deserve higher status and have retained many of the personnel that have seen them achieve some stunning upsets in the last decade including the O’ Brien brothers, Niall and Kevin, and their pugnacious skipper William Porterfield. In Boyd Rankin they have a fast bowling threat following his return to the land of his birth after he’d attempted to make a career with England.

The Netherlands have also claimed some major scalps in the World T20 – most notably England at Lord’s in 2009 – and have in their ranks Roelof van der Merwe, the tigerish allrounder who played 13 ODIs and 13 T20 Internationals for South Africa and was part of squads that played at the World T20 in 2009 and 2010.

Zimbabwe are the favourites in Group B, and got a timely confidence booster thanks to a comprehensive six-wicket win over Ireland in a warm-up match at the weekend.

Fixtures:

Tuesday: Hong Kong vs Zimbabwe, 11.30am; Afghanistan vs Scotland, 4pm

Wednesday: Bangladesh vs Netherlands, 11.30am; Oman vs Ireland, 4pm

The Star