T20 World Cup: India's dominance vs. England's form

The T20 World Cup is set to commence, anticipated to be a faster and more explosive tournament than ever before, evidenced by a significant surge in scoring rates across international and domestic matches since early 2025. India, the outright favorites, will host the entire event, a unique advantage as no team has previously defended the T20 World Cup or won it on home soil.

India's dominance is underscored by their impressive record of 31 wins in 41 T20 internationals since the last World Cup final. Their squad features in-form players like Abhishek Sharma, the world's number one batter, and Shivam Dube, who have achieved rapid half-centuries. This form suggests they have minimized the role of chance in their victories.

England, the 2022 champions, also arrive in strong form, having won 10 of their last 17 games with a high scoring rate, even surpassing India's. Despite a challenging winter, they benefit from a draw that avoids India and Australia until the semi-finals. Australia, though second favorites, are hampered by injuries to key players like Pat Cummins.

Pre-tournament disruptions have cast a shadow, notably Bangladesh's refusal to play in India and the potential cancellation of the India-Pakistan match. These events, along with Scotland's late call-up and an expanded 20-team format, add layers of uncertainty to the competition, promising a wild few weeks of cricket.