With the two groups of the Super 12 stage at the 2021 T20 World Cup taking shape, we return to discuss the action so far as we record the show in person for the very first time. After two defeats in their first two Super 12 games, India are on the brink of elimination. Requiring a miracle to qualify for the knockout stage, we discuss what went wrong for them in the games against Pakistan and New Zealand. Did Ishan Kishan's inclusion against the Black Caps cause more problems than it was trying to solve? Were the bowlers been mismanaged - the omission of Shardul Thakur, the misuse of Mohammed Shami - or have they not been given enough runs to play with by an underperforming batting lineup? Have India simply had a couple of bad days and bad luck with injuries or are the issues with the T20 side more deep-rooted? We attempt to answer these questions and more with the example of the Punjab domestic side and Abhishek Sharma.
Meanwhile, England and Pakistan have been the most impressive sides in this tournament, but we wonder if they might be peaking too early. It may be that a nasty surprise awaits them in the semi-finals, and we discuss why South Africa and New Zealand are the sides best equipped to spring it. After defeats in their opening games, both teams responded strongly. For New Zealand, Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi perpetrated an effective spin choke against India and with slower bowlers expected to dominate this tournament, the Kiwis can expect this duo to be their main weapons. South Africa took a couple of games to find their most effective team combination and we explain why Dwaine Pretorious and Aiden Markram were key for their transformation into the best version of themselves. With Afghanistan adding some impressive tactical variety to this tournament, the business end of the T20 World Cup promises to be exciting.
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