T20 World Cup 2024: South Africa look to shed chokers’ tag in group including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

South Africa, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Nepal and Bangladesh line up in Group D of the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, which is live in full on Sky Sports across June. Here’s all you need to know about the teams and their prospects.

South Africa

Best result: Semi-finals (2009, 2014)
2022 result: Super 12s
Coach: Rob Walter

Squad: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeze Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs. Reserves: Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi.

Big hitter

Heinrich Klaasen. The 32-year-old is an incredible hitter of spin and was in fine form for Sunrisers Hyderabad during the Indian Premier League, where he blasted four half-centuries and had a strike-rate of 171.07.

Wicket-taker

Tabraiz Shamsi. The wrist-spinner is the Proteas’ leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket with 78 in 65 matches and has plenty of experience in the West Indies from spells in the Caribbean Premier League.

Keep an eye on…

That chokers tag. It continues to follow South Africa around with the Proteas losing in five 50-over World Cup semi-finals – including to Australia in India last year – and two in the T20 version..

Prospects

This could be the year South Africa finally go one step further than the semi-finals and maybe even get their hands on a trophy. The batting is packed with power and the bowling attack is varied.

Bangladesh

Best result: Super 8s (2007)
2022 result: Super 8s
Coach: Chandika Hathurusingha

Squad: Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shakib Al Hasan, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah Riyad, Jaker Ali Anik, Tanvir Islam, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib. Reserves: Afif Hossain, Hasan Mahmud.

Big hitter

Towhid Hridoy. The 23-year-old scored an unbeaten 108 from 57 balls for Comilla Victorians in the Bangladesh Premier League in February as part of a strong campaign.

Wicket-taker

Shakib Al Hasan. The left-arm spinner has 146 wickets in T20 internationals with an economy rate of 6.78. Shakib will also be an important player with the bat but his bowling could be instrumental if Bangladesh are to reach the Super 8s.

Keep an eye on…

Shoriful Islam. The left-arm pace bowler, 22, has picked up 46 wickets in 41 T20 internationals to date. He is one of the youngsters to follow in this Bangladesh squad.

Prospects

Bangladesh have played in all eight previous T20 World Cups but they are yet to reach the knockout stages. They certainly have the experience in the squad to make it to the Super 8s this time.

Sri Lanka

Best result: Champions (2014)
2022 result: Super 8s
Coach: Chris Silverwood

Squad: Wanindu Hasaranga (captain), Charith Asalanka (vice-captain), Kusal Mendis, Pathum Nissanka, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Angelo Mathews, Dasun Shanaka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dilshan Madushanka. Reserves: Asitha Fernando, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Janith Liyanage.

Big hitter

Angelo Mathews. The 36-year-old – the the first batter in international cricket to be timed out in match against Bangladesh in the 50-over World Cup last year – is the only player still in the squad from their 2014 victory in this tournament. He has over 1,300 T20I runs with a best of 81 not out.

Wicket-taker

Wanindu Hasaranga. The captain is only the second Sri Lankan, after the great Lasith Malinga, to take 100 T20I wickets. The leg-spinner, who is just three behind Malinga’s mark of 107, will be key if Sri Lanka are to advance past round one.

Keep an eye on…

Matheesha Pathirana. The right-arm fast bowler is one of the best on the T20 circuit. Pathirana heads to the tournament after playing six matches in this year’s IPL and picking up 13 wickets for Chennai Super Kings while bowling upwards of 90mph.

Prospects

Sri Lanka have talented bowlers but possibly lack batting depth, often relying on their skipper Hasaranga to score runs. Will probably be vying with Bangladesh to join South Africa in the Super 8s.

Netherlands

Best result: Super 12s (2022)
2022 result: Super 12s
Coach: Ryan Cook

Squad: Scott Edwards (captain), Aryan Dutt, Bas de Leede, Saqib Zulfiqar, Kyle Klein, Logan van Beek, Max O’Dowd, Michael Levitt, Paul van Meekeren, Sybrand Engelbrecht, ⁠⁠Teja Nidamanuru, Tim Pringle, Vikram Singh, Viv Kingma, Wesley Barresi.

Big hitter

Sybrand Engelbrecht. The all-rounder has a strike rate of 153 and a high score of 75 in eight T20Is he has played for the Netherlands. The 35-year-old retired from all forms of cricket in 2016 but then joined the Dutch squad in 2023.

Wicket-taker

Aryan Dutt. During a warm-up match against Sri Lanka, the off-spinner, 21, took three wickets to help his side beat Sri Lanka. Along with seamer Logan van Beek, his bowling will be key for Netherlands.

Keep an eye on…

Bas de Leede. The all-rounder has plenty of white-ball experience and can perform with both the bat and ball. He’ll be an integral piece to the Netherlands set-up if they are to get out of the group stage. The 24-year-old has four T20I half-centuries and averages 18 with the ball.

Prospects

Netherlands beat South Africa at the 50-over World Cup last year and in the T20 edition in 2022, which should give them confidence. They head into the competition weakened by the absence of the experienced Colin Ackermann and Roelof van der Merwe but this will provide a chance for other players to step up.

Nepal

Best result: First round (2014)
2022 result: N/A
Coach: Monty Desai

Squad: Rohit Paudel (captain), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee.

Big hitter

Last month, Aasif Sheikh became the fourth Nepal player to score 1,000 runs in T20Is. He has a strike rate of 119 in the format and five half-centuries. Sheikh also struck a fifty against India in the 50-over Asia Cup last year.

Wicket-taker

Abinash Bohara. The right-arm pacer has 74 wickets in T20I cricket with an average of 19, and became the first Nepalese player to pick up a six-wicket haul last year.

Keep an eye on…

Dipendra Singh Airee. He smashed six sixes in an over in April, against Qatar, as he became just the third man to achieve that feat in a T20 match, after India’s Yuvraj Singh and West Indies’ Kieron Pollard.

Prospects

This is Nepal’s first tournament in a decade. When they featured in the 2014 edition, they won two of their three games and they have to take confidence from that. The potential is definitely there for an upset.

Watch every match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA live on Sky Sports Cricket.

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