2016 ICC World Twenty20: England and India have too much for Afghans and Bangladesh
Published:
Jamie Clark, Sports Editor | March 22, 2016
England can continue to get their 2016 World Twenty20 campaign back on track on Wednesday when they play preliminary group winners Afghanistan, while in the other pool there’s a Subcontinent derby between tournament hosts India and neighbours Bangladesh.
England v Afghanistan
- ICC World Twenty20, Match 24
- Wednesday, March 23rd
- Play starts: 09:30 GMT
- Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi
- Live on Sky Sports 2
Bayliss’ boys have Root to recovery
Only players that featured in the preliminary group stage have scored more runs than England batsman Joe Root, so it’s better piling on the enhanced 3/1 wincast involving him being best at the crease than the 1/10 on offer for Trevor Bayliss’ boys to beat Afghanistan.
Set a huge target – even for T20 Internationals – of 230 to win against South Africa, who had whitewashed England in this form of the game at the end of their winter Tour, last time out, rampant Root smashed 83 off 44 balls.
Afghanistan are sizeable 6/1 outsiders to upset England here, and are winless since stepping up into elite company. They were 30 runs short of the Proteas last time out with Chris Morris taking 4/27.
Medium pace and fast bowling has done for the Afghans at the World Twenty20 so far, and that suggests David Willey will be a decent shout to be best for England with the ball at 7/2.
Beware spin of teenage talent
Rashid Khan is just 17 years old, but has belied his tender age and shown just what a precocious talent Afghanistan have already by taking seven wickets.
Punters must decide whether his leg-break spin, or the off-break of all-rounder Mohammad Nabi will be most deadly to England. Both are the same price as Willey as 7/2 apiece to be their country’s best bowler in this match.
When it comes to Afghanistan at the crease, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzard has top scored three times in their five matches to date. He thus starts as a 5/2 favourite to be top dog with the bat.
India v Bangladesh
- ICC World Twenty20, Match 25
- Wednesday, March 23rd
- Play starts: 14:00 GMT
- M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
- Live on Sky Sports 2
Kohli can be best with bat again
Like England, World T20 hosts India have responded to an opening defeat when bowled out for just 79 against New Zealand by beating bitter rivals Pakistan last time out.
Virat Kohli led the way with an unbeaten 55 off 37 balls in an intensely fought derby reduced to 18 overs a side. With India also overwhelming odds-on 1/7 favourites for victory over their other neighbours, it’s well worth taking the 31/10 enhanced wincast featuring Kohli here.
One area that the Indians need to improve is their bowling. Perhaps the particularly proclivity for spin on pitches in this country has made their approach predictable.
There has to be more to come from Ravichandran Ashwin, who has 47 victims in 40 Twenty20 Internationals, and he’s fancied at 5/2 to be the best of India’s bowlers.
Bangladesh may be battered
Although they topped their preliminary pool, Bangladesh are winless since, yet do boast the World T20’s top scorer of runs in their ranks.
Tamim Iqbal has put a total of more than 250 on the board in four outings to date, so is a 5/2 chance to be Bangladesh’s best batsman once again.
Meanwhile, the slow left-arm bowling of ICC top-ranked all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has claimed nine victims in this tournament so far. There is real value in backing him at 11/4 to be best for Bangladesh with the ball.
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Coral’s top tip: Root is terrific in that enhanced 3/1 wincast to top score and inspire England to another victory over Afghanistan.
