The T20 World Cup 2024 is set to begin on June 1 with USA and West Indies hosting as many as 18 teams. In this article, we will take a look at the top five group-stage matches which are set to rock the upcoming tournament. Let us take a look:
India v Pakistan, New York – 9 June
India will face archrivals Pakistan in a highly anticipated clash of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the 34,000-seater Eisenhower Park stadium in Nassau County, New York on June 9. The last time both sides faced each other in a T20 World Cup match, team India emerged victorious thanks to the majestic knock from Virat Kohli.
England v Australia, Barbados – 8 June
The defending champs England will face their arch-rivals Australia in Barbados on June 8. To note, it will be the same venue where the Three Lions claimed victory over their traditional rivals in the 2010 tournament. The Aussies will be looking to return the favour this time around.
South Africa v Netherlands, New York – 8 June
South Africa were shocked by the Dutch in Adelaide in the 2022 edition, and at Cricket World Cup 2023 in the longer format, a thumping Dutch counter with the bat and a strong Powerplay performance with the ball led to their 38-run win.
Outside of one or two players moving on the teams should be similar to the XIs that took each other on in Australia, and South Africa will have experience of the New York surface thanks to an early game at the same venue.
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh, Dallas – 7 June
Sri Lanka’s match against Bangladesh will be played on June 7 in Dallas. The two teams’ World Cup encounters have been nothing short of dramatic. Even the 2023 World Cup match had an extra spice because of Angelo Mathews’ time-out controversy. In 13 T20Is between the two teams overall, Sri Lanka have won nine while Bangladesh have emerged victorious four times.
West Indies v New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago – 12 June
The penultimate match of the West Indies’ group phase effort, the match between these two could dictate the fortunes of the co-hosts tournament. A win would likely springboard their campaign or consign them to an early exit. Conversely, the match could be a must-win for the Black Caps, if they happen to go down to Afghanistan earlier in the competition. New Zealand have won nine of the last 11 T20Is between the teams, excluding no results.
