The ICC T20 World Cup is at its peak of competition and if there's one big upset that has already taken place, that is India's almost confirmed exit from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
With New Zealand's triumph last night, India's chances of participating in the semi-finals are as thin as air and it's no longer in their hands. With the hosts and the defending T20 World champions almost out of the picture, today we will discuss the other teams that can potentially lay their hands on the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
England
Group leaders England have been exceptional this season and have contrived three victories in three matches as things stand.
All of their players know how crucial the tournament is and they seem to be following a well-concocted plan in every department of the game.
Jason Roy and Jos Buttler are firing from the batting end, the trio of Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, and Chris Woakes are taking out every batsman and Tymal Mills has returned in the form at the best possible time.
England's fielding in the T20 World Cup has been phenomenal too and they are one of the teams who have played elegant cricket throughout the tournament until now.
After vanquishing their arch-rivals Australia without any concerns, England are the top contender to lift the ICC Men's T20 World Cup once again.
| Matches | Won | Lost | Points | Net rate |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 3.183 |
Pakistan
The other group leader, Pakistan embarked on their T20 World Cup journey by defeating their biggest rival, and that too by a hefty margin.
They are also yet to be beaten in the competition and have won three out of three matches till now. However, their last two matches could've gone the other way but Asif Ali has single-handedly managed to keep Pakistan away from all sorts of dilemmas when it comes to qualifying for the semi-finals.
Their skipper Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, the veteran Shoaib Malik, and Asif Ali have been solid with the bat, while even Mohammad Hafeez had managed to play some cameos to contribute to Pakistan's wins.
Their batting has been sharp, with Shaheen Afridi leading the line, with Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, and others sticking to their line has amplified their grip on the matches they've been a part of.
Michael Hayden's addition to the coaching staff has been a boon to the team and his insights have only helped Pakistan get better.
After England, it is them in the pecking order, not just because they have three wins but also because of the way they have seen out those games.
| Matches | Won | Lost | Points | Net rate |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.638 |
Australia
Despite a horrific loss against the English, Australia continues to be a dominant force in not just World Cricket but this ICC Men's T20 World Cup too. They have been wonderful in all departments until their last match and it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise as they have an opportunity to cover the loopholes in their game plan and approach.
David Warner showed a glimpse of his best form against Sri Lanka but against England, he was dismissed as a result of a careless shot.
David Warner's excellent knock of 65 comes to an end.
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 28, 2021
The Sri Lankan skipper Shanaka gets his prized scalp.
#T20WorldCup | #AUSvSL | https://t.co/dkIIjDEJLc pic.twitter.com/IHrdRJImMq
Credit to England bowlers but the Australians are wary of the fact that they threw most of their wickets but apart from that, Australia have put up some commendable performances.
However, to win their maiden ICC Men's T20 World Cup, they will have to beat the best teams out there.
| Matches | Won | Lost | Points | Net rate |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -0.627 |
South Africa
Defying all odds, South Africa have shown that they aren't as bad as people think. They have performed in a balanced manner and it's safe to say, they are the underdogs in the competition.
South Africa have won two out of their three matches, losing only to Australia and they have a Test coming up soon when they play England.
A win in that match would most probably confirm them as the semi-finalists but that win would assert the fact that South Africa are a strong force in the tournament.
Their batting is good but their bowling is better and that's how they have operated in the games. The only loss they've seen was against Australia where again the Proteas bowlers managed to take the game until the last couple of overs but a poor total didn't leave the bowlers with much to protect.
The likes of Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje have been exceptional and with David Miller's performance in the last match against Sri Lanka, South Africa would be elated.
| Matches | Won | Lost | Points | Net rate |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0.210 |
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