Two monster clashes feature at the T20 World Cup on Monday, and Richard Mann has a strong view on the afternoon match.
Monday is a huge day at the T20 World Cup, kicking off with a winner-takes-all clash between West Indies and South Africa in North Sound, start time 1.30am for UK viewers.
Though still unbeaten in the tournament, South Africa look set to go off as slight second favourites to book their place in the semi-finals, and I can’t disagree with how the market is currently shaping up, with West Indies just preferred for this one.
Proteas still with much to prove
South Africa have sailed close to the wind on several occasions, most notably on Friday when England somehow lost to the Proteas having whittled down their victory target to 25 from 18 balls with two batsmen well set.
Bangladesh lost to South Africa from an even stronger position of dominance, while Aiden Markram’s side only beat minnows Nepal by a single run earlier in the competition.
Perhaps South Africa have finally found the knack of winning close matches in ICC events, but I still need some convincing and don’t think their overall level of play has been good enough to see them win the tournament.
A very dangerous batting outfit in particular, that could of course change, but things will get tougher from here on in.
A crunch match, this isn’t one I’m mad keen to get involved in, but West Indies were my outright fancies at 10/1 and one blip against England apart, I’ve not been dissuaded from anything I’ve seen in the last few weeks.
Old rivals renew hostilities in crunch clash
Personal interest aside, the biggest match of the day, and perhaps the tournament so far, is India against Australia in Gros Islet at 3.30pm, UK time.
In a repeat of last year’s 50-over World Cup final, India will again start favourites, but just as was the case in Ahmedabad, it’s hard to escape the feeling that Australia will pull a rabbit out of the hat when they need it most.
Defeat to Afghanistan on Sunday has left Australia with work still to do in order to reach the last four, but I wouldn’t judge Mitch Marsh’s side too harshly on that result, given how conditions played to the strengths of a very strong Afghan attack which really is very dangerous.
Runs for Glenn Maxwell there was a big boost and I’d marginally prefer Australia here, with India respected, if not bombproof, on the back of some professional but ultimately workmanlike displays on a tough surface in New York.
The truth is, it’s not easy to know exactly where we are with India, and Australia were deeply impressive until coming up short against Afghanistan.
The excellent form of Pat Cummins and a quite brilliant slower ball off-cutter that is seemingly made for these conditions means I’ll give Adam Zampa a swerve in the top Australia bowler market.
Incredibly, Cummins has taken consecutive hat-tricks in Australia’s last two matches. A remarkable achievement.
King Kohli coming to the boil
The top India batsman market is of more interest, and I make no apologies for putting up VIRAT KOHLI at the top of the market.
New York might not be top of Kohli’s holiday destination list after a horror run in the Big Apple, but conditions were awful for batting on that surface and scores of 24 and 37 since India have switched to the Caribbean has seen the King look much more like his old self.
It’s not as if Kohli has been struggling for form – he was the leading runscorer at the IPL just a matter of weeks ago, making 741 runs at an average of 61.75 – and as last year’s 50-over World Cup confirms, and the 2022 T20 World Cup, Kohli is made for these tournaments.
He’s highly likely to come good very soon and with some weather around in this area on Monday, a potentially shortened match means focussing on the openers in these markets is even more appealing.
For top batsman markets, 10 or more overs constitutes a match with most bookmakers.
Sky Bet go 3/1 about Kohli, and I’m happy enough with that on this occasion.
Posted at 1815 BST on 23/06/24
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