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Bol team pick their World Cup winner

Bol team pick their World Cup winner

Bol team pick their World Cup winner

West Indies, India, and Pakistan. (Photo Source: Getty Images)

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Super 12s round of the seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup commenced on October 23

The excitement is in the air as the Super 12s round of the seventh edition of the ICC T20 World Cup commenced on October 23 in the United Arab Emirates.

The twelve teams are distributed into two groups. Group 1 consist of the reigning champions West Indies, world champions England, South Africa, Australia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Group 2 has the arch-rivals Pakistan and India, Test champions New Zealand, Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia.

The final round of the tournament will have 33 action-packed contests, which will take place in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

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The final is scheduled to be oraganised on November 14 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

As the tournament approached, fans and pundits started to express their expert opinions about players, teams and whatnot.

Some are claiming that India are the hot favourites to lift the trophy for the second time after 2007.

Meanwhile, a few cricket enthusiasts are opining that the West Indies may retain their title and become champions for the third time.

The cricket lovers and critiques are wary of Pakistan’s madness and afraid to make any call about their performance during the campaign, while others are writing off Australia given their poor run in the shortest format of the game.

As people everyone is excited for the T20 World Cup, we asked our BOL’s editorial team about their expectations and we have got some interesting calls from them.

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Amir Zia (Editor in chief)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

Since I don’t watch cricket that much, I am going to go with Pakistan, obviously.

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  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

This is going to be an easy one and it is Pakistan again. I am going to trust our boys in bringing the cup back home.

  1. Prediction for Pakistan
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We are going to win the T20 World Cup for the second time.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

I think Babar Azam is going to be the player who will stand out in the competition. He has proven time and again that he is just too good to not deliver at such a big stage. He is leading the team well and I am sure he will do well with the bat this time around as well.

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  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

I think and I hope that the biggest disappointment in the upcoming edition of the ICC T20 World Cup will be from team India who will hopefully go out of the competition after the first round. I know they are really good but I don’t want to see them do well in this competition.

  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?
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This is a tough one but I think my bold prediction will be about Bangladesh. I just have a feeling that they will play the semis, hopefully at the expense of India.

Azeem Siddiqui (sports editor)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

It is not often that in the recent past, I have predicted Pakistan to win the title but this time, I am just inclined to do so. The reason is that everything just seems ideal—as per our standard and historical—for this cup to be ours. We have the perfect turmoil back home, captain under pressure, new coaching staff, international teams refusing to tour at the very last moment. All of this leads me to believe that this can be Pakistan’s year and in all honesty, the team looks decent on paper too and barring maybe India, there is enough talent to get the better of any opposition.

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  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

As hard as it is to accept this, the reality is that if there is one team that should win the ICC T20 World Cup, it should be India. They are just too good to fail, that too in conditions where they’ve just played the second half of the IPL. The players are well-drilled, they are explosive and there are genuine matchwinners in there.

  1. Prediction for Pakistan
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I think our team is coming back home with the trophy.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

Hasan Ali for me. I think he is in great form and despite that horror show against South Africa, he is too good of a bowler to not produce in an event as big as T20 World Cup. Not only that as I believe Hasan will be able to contribute some crucial runs at the later stages of the innings.

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  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

I think Australia are likely to be the biggest disappointment in this year’s competition. Their batting looks weak and top-heavy. Any bowling lineup will be aware that if they manage to get three quick wickets, there is not much talent there to rescue.

  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?
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My bold prediction is that South Africa will play in the semi-finals this year. I know that not many are expecting them to do well but they have a good team overall and can do even better.

Rishad Mahmood (National editor)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?
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The West Indies in my opinion will win it again. They are the defending champions and the manner in which they mauled the Aussies in the T20 series early this year speaks volumes of their potential as a T20 side.

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

Australia should win it. They can bounce back any time with their resilience and still have some great match-winners in the side.

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  1. Prediction for Pakistan

After the recent four changes in the team, I would say Pakistan can end up in the last four given their fabulous record in the UAE.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?
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England’s Josh Buttler, Keiron Pollard of West Indies and Glenn Maxwell of Australia can emerge as top players

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

India can be the biggest disappointment I feel. Away from their home conditions and keeping their ordinary record in the UAE in mind, Kohli’s men can crash out early. As it is, they don’t have many great T20 players barring a couple.

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  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

Sri Lanka will make the finals after beating some leading teams.

Arslan Sheikh (Sports senior sub-editor)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?
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I think West Indies are one of the strongest candidates to lift the trophy. The reason is that they are probably the only unit that have match-winners from top to bottom, be it their vastly experienced campaigners like Chris Gayle, captain Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell or Lendl Simmons or Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran and Fabian Allen. Moreover, they are the two-time champions, so they know the mantra to win this tournament.

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

It should be Pakistan for me, hands down! It’s not just because I am a Pakistani and saying out of the love of my country, but Pakistan deserve to win after what England and New Zealand have done to our cricket. They need to win this event to once again announce that they are an important element of the cricket fraternity and no one can just ignore us. I believe more than any other country, Pakistan need this trophy.

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  1. Prediction for Pakistan

Okay, I accept that there is a very bleak hope of Pakistan making it into the final and winning it. But still, there is hope. Logically, Pakistan hardly stand a chance to make any strong statement during the event, but logic doesn’t apply to Pakistan cricket, madness does. The Men-In-Green have stunned the world on occasions when no one expected them to. Pakistan’s triumph in World T20 2009 and Champions Trophy 2017 says volumes about it.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?
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Babar Azam is a strong candidate to emerge as the highest scorer in the competition given that Pakistan reach at least the semi-finals. Apart from Babar, it will be interesting to see the performance of Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan on the spinning tracks and their opener Hazratullah Zazai.

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

South Africa have been my second most favourite team after Pakistan since forever. However, seeing their recent run in the international cricket and availability of players due to the quota system, I am afraid they will be the biggest disappointment in the tournament. Except for David Miller and Quinton de Kock, they hardly have any match-winner in their batting line

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  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

It is a strong call to make and I know many people will find it absurd, but I think Virat Kohli will be a flop show. He may have a quiet and quite forgettable event.

Maheen Usmani (OpEd editor)

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  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

I wish my prediction could be as accurate as Shane Warne’s tweet about the England India World Cup match ending in a tie in 2016. The tournament has not commenced as yet, so I am undecided. New Zealand, Australia, England and India are the strongest contenders, but it depends on which team clicks at the right time and does not wilt under pressure.

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?
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Pakistan, of course. After all the disappointments the team has been recently subjected to, it would be a great answer to carping critics if we win the World Cup. I hope they have taken to heart the advice Rameez Raja gave them that they should aim to become invincible, no one can take them lightly again.

But if I take a reality check, it could be Australia.

  1. Prediction for Pakistan

Pakistan team is known to be mercurial so it is difficult to predict with accuracy. If the recent change in the PCB hierarchy and the arrival of new coaches have led to tactical and strategic changes, we may see an improved Pakistan team. There is no dearth of talent, but training, discipline and correct utilisation of resources are key.

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  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

Babar Azam

Fakhar Zaman

Virat Kohli

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  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

Any one of the new teams like Papa New Guinea, Namibia etc. Having said that, I always root for the underdog so here’s hoping the newcomers upset the complacent hierarchy of the top-ranked teams.

  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?
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Afghanistan team may surprise everyone with their great showing. They have a never say die spirit which makes them fighters who face all odds with valour. They learnt cricket in Pakistan while living here as refugees and let’s not forget the great Inzamam ul Haq being their batting coach in the past.

Filza Rizwan (International sub-editor)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?
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India are the favourites for me to win the World Cup. They have been in superb form since I don’t even know when. They are the host nation and they usually play well in Asian conditions. So, it will be a surprise for me if India don’t win it.

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

Pakistan, Pakistan and Pakistan! If not for cricketing reasons, I want Pakistan to win the tournament just because of the joy it brings to the nation. We, as a nation, need something to celebrate and there can’t be anything better than to celebrate a world cup win.

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  1. Prediction for Pakistan

I know it is a clichéd statement, but Pakistan have always been unpredictable. Based on their unpredictable nature, I am going with either they will surprise the world by winning the trophy or they will have an embarrassing campaign and will face a first-round exit.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?
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Virat Kohli, who else can be the best performance when he is featuring a tournament. Calling Kohli the best player of this era will not be an overstatement, so it is Kohli for me.

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

It has to be Sri Lanka. Not much long before, about seven years ago, Sri Lanka had won the championship. Now, they were competing against minnows to qualify for the Super 12 round.

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  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

It is Shoaib Malik’s last World Cup and I believe he will end his international career on a high, leading Pakistan to their second World T20 title.

Maheen Aziz (Lifestyle editor)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?
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Whether my prediction comes true or not, being a Pakistani, I cannot think of any other team winning the world cup. I would love to see Babar Azam lifting the trophy at a venue that they called their second home.

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

Obviously Pakistan! After years of hard work to bring back international cricket in Pakistan, they have again been ditched by the world. Winning the cup will be the aptest answer to the cricket fraternity that they deserve more respect.

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  1. Prediction for Pakistan

I just hope Pakistan win it and I believe they can. They have the kind of players that can beat any side of the world on their day.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?
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Probably Babar Azam. Actually, he has to be the most outstanding player in the competition if Pakistan have to win it. He is the backbone of our team, if he fails, our whole team might just collapse.

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

India are a strong side and all, but I think they will be the biggest disappointment. They probably will not live up to the expectations of the fans and the critiques during the tournament One bold prediction for the tournament?

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  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

Australia can win their maiden T20 World Cup. They don’t have the strongest of squads and they didn’t have the best of their performances in recent times but it is the only major white-ball tournament that they have not won yet, so they can. They are mentally strong and know how to win major tournaments.

Omair Alavi (Lifestyle correspondent)

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  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

India because they have played IPL just prior to the tournament

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?
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Pakistan because they have included un from players ahead of the world cup

  1. Prediction for Pakistan

Defeat in the semi-finals . Pakistan has a suspect batting lineup that cannot handle pressure and that’s why I believe they will lose in the first knock out match

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  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

Babar Azam because he is in form and he has scored a lot of runs in the UAE

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?
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West Indies, underprepared and filled with over the hill players

  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

Afghanistan will surprise all because most of their players are accustomed to the conditions and they gave a good coaching staff.

Mishael Qadeer (National sub-editor)

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  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

Honestly, I am not an avid follower of cricket, but since I have been asked and have to answer these questions, I think England because they have a very strong team. They are the reigning World Champions and I know that they have been doing well in limited-over cricket.

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?
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Being a Pakistani who else can I support to lift the trophy? I want Pakistan to win the T20 World Cup. Actually, I want to win them every event, every trophy in every sport.

  1. Prediction for Pakistan

Even the most renowned pundits fail to make accurate predictions for Pakistan. However, with the new line-up, which has a good combination of experienced and young players, they may qualify for the semi-finals.

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  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

There are numerous players who can put up impressive performances during the tournament, there is our very own Babar Azam, India’s Virat Kohli, Australia’s Steve Smith but I believe Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan can be lethal in these playing conditions.

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?
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I would say India. There are a couple of reasons that I am going with India. First of all, they do not usually play well in away games, they are the most dangerous when they are playing in their home ground. Secondly, India are rated as one of the hot favourites to win the World Cup, so if they even lose in the semi-finals, it will be a disappointment.

  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

If I am being very bold, then I will say that Pakistan can possibly win the championship based on sheer determination. You never know what they can do.

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Qasim Moini (City editor)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

I think Pakistan is going to be the team to win the T20 World Cup. But in all honesty, I hope that will happen as well.

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  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

Again, my prediction will be that Pakistan will lift the title and make all of us proud once again.

  1. Prediction for Pakistan
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I am going to say: Go get ‘em boys. Make us proud and bring the title back home.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

This is an interesting question and I think my answer will surprise a few but I think Sarfaraz Ahmed might become the player to stand out in the competition. He has recently returned to the national team, he looked good during the National T20 Cup which led to his selection and he has ample amount of experience of playing well in the UAE which makes him an ideal candidate for this particular question.

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  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

Well, I am not a cricket enthusiast but all I can say and hope is that Pakistan not going to be the biggest disappointment of the mega-event.

  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?
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Since I don’t follow cricket on regular basis, I don’t think I can answer this question properly.

Zain Siddiqui (Sports sub-editor)

  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

With the firepower of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo’s experience strengthening the bowling line, the Windies, I think will defend the World T20 title successfully.

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  1. Which team should win the World Cup?

I hope that Pakistan will win the tournament and give a befitting reply to the international cricket fraternity who recently tried to corner us by cancelling New Zealand, England’s tour based on vague reasons. I hope that the meeting of the T20 WC squad with the Prime Minister, before leaving for the tournament, will help regain that ‘cornered tiger’ mindset and they will roar back to win the marquee tournament.

  1. Prediction for Pakistan?
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Hmm… With all the attachment I have with the national side and keeping the competition in view that Babar Azam and Co will face as the tournament progresses, I predict Pakistan will only make it to the Semifinals.

  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

Shaheen Afridi

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Rashid Khan

Dwayne Bravo

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?

India will be the biggest disappointment in the upcoming mega event and most probably won’t even make it to the semis.

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  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

Pakistan will finally break the shackles of beating India in a World cup on October 24. I know it’s a bold one.

Riaz Usman (International and Business editor)

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  1. Which team do you think will win the world cup?

To be honest, I really wish Pakistan win the world cup. However, I am afraid India might win the tournament given their strong batting and bowling lineup. Arguably, they have the most complete squad in the event.

  1. Which team should win the World Cup?
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I am definitely supporting Pakistan. They should win the world cup. Why? Pakistan team is notorious in its unpredictability, in one match they are down, in the next they are at up, showing their best. Their unpredictability can take them a long way.

  1. Prediction for Pakistan

I don’t know whether to call it a prediction or a wish, but I want to see Pakistan Win, win and win.

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  1. Which player will stand out in the competition?

Though Babar Azam is the best batter we have in our ranks, but I won’t be surprised if Mohammad Rizwan outshines him in the competition. He has been the leading T20 runs scorer in the world and the team will benefit if he carries his form in the World Cup.

  1. Which team will be the biggest disappointment?
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New Zealand. I feel the Kiwis might struggle on the slow and turning wickets of the UAE. Plus, they don’t any many bowlers in the lineup that can make the most out of these playing conditions.

  1. One bold prediction for the tournament?

Not really a prediction, it is THE FEAR that India might win. I am afraid they might win the tournament.

For all the latest updates on ICC World T20 2021 – Follow: https://www.oldsite.bolnews.com/sports/cricket/series/t20-world-cup-2021

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