The 2024 T20 World Cup has not even completed a week, but there have been some upsets already. If the USA’s win over Pakistan in Dallas, was the trigger, fans had quite a few shockers coming their way. On Friday, the cricket fraternity witnessed not one, but two upsets.
In the first match played in Guyana, Afghanistan registered an annihilation over New Zealand by 84 runs. For many fans, this wasn’t an upset, but a clinical performance by Afghanistan against the Kiwis. In the second match, it was Bangladesh’s turn to stun Sri Lanka.
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In a closely fought contest in Dallas, Bangladesh defeated Sri Lanka by 2 wickets to script the second upset of the day in the ongoing T20 World Cup. With three results going against strong teams, and the minnows making a strong statement, the tournament is already wide open.
Is the 2024 T20 World Cup, the most competitive edition?
Gone are the days, when there used to be favorites for a T20 World Cup. Yes, the likes of India, Australia, and England are still the leaders of the pack, but the gulf is decreasing pretty quickly between the rest of the sides.
Take Afghanistan for example. Their performance over New Zealand cannot be considered a fluke anymore. They have stunned top teams in the past, especially in T20 format. Most of their players participate in the IPL, which gives them the ideal preparation to perform well under pressure.
The heroes for Afghanistan against New Zealand – Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan, and Fazalhaq Farroqi have all proved their mettle in the IPL, and all the major T20 competitive leagues.
Afghanistan’s win over New Zealand is a top-notch one. However, they have defeated the likes of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and even the West Indies in the past. During the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, Afghanistan defeated Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and registered a total of four wins from 9 matches.
Can Bangladesh make a mark after upsetting Sri Lanka?
Despite Bangladesh’s recent progress in 50-over-format, their performance in T20 cricket has been highly inconsistent. Thanks to Mustafizur Rahman, Rishad Hossain, and useful knocks from Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy, Bangladesh registered a major upset in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka, now with two losses from as many games is on the brink of elimination from the World Cup. Bangladesh’s win in Dallas should give them confidence, before their big game against South Africa.
After a week of T20 World Cup action, no team can claim themselves to be unbeatable, especially in this format. While the USA paved the way, the likes of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and a few others can emerge as the giant slayers come week 2.
This is the T20 World Cup, where upsets are no longer an upset, for the fans at least, if not for the teams at the receiving end.
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