Although they managed to prevent a whitewash, England’s 4–1 Ashes defeat in Australia remains a significant disappointment, to put it mildly. Some of the players involved in that poor showing Down Under will now have an opportunity to make amends by delivering on a very different stage, the upcoming T20 World Cup.
With the action set to get underway soon, attention now turns to whether England can quickly reset and reassert themselves at the shortest and most explosive end of the international game.
What the Bookies Say
With the start of the T20 World Cup just three weeks away, this is how the bookmakers currently see the outright market:
| Country | Odds | World Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| India | 11/8 | 1st |
| Australia | 4/1 | 2nd |
| England | 9/2 | 3rd |
| South Africa | 11/2 | 5th |
| Pakistan | 16/1 | 7th |
| New Zealand | 16/1 | 4th |
| West Indies | 20/1 | 6th |
Judging by these prices, there appear to be four clear contenders for the title. India sit comfortably at the head of the market, with home conditions and squad depth both factored into their short odds. Australia, England, and South Africa make up the rest of the leading group, with a noticeable gap behind them.
Pakistan and New Zealand, both priced at 16/1, fall firmly into the ‘outsider’ category. New Zealand’s odds are particularly interesting given they are ranked fourth in the world and sit closer to England in the rankings than to South Africa. At around 9/2, or even 5/1 with some bookies, England may appeal to value-hunters as they can beat any opponent on their day.
England’s T20 World Cup Record
England’s relationship with the T20 World Cup has not always been smooth, but their recent record shown consistent ability at this stage. In the last four editions of the tournament, England have reached at least the semi-finals.
| Year | Round | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Super 8 | 7/12 |
| 2009 | Super 8 | 6/12 |
| 2010 | Champions | 1/12 |
| 2012 | Super 8 | 6/12 |
| 2014 | Super 10 | 7/16 |
| 2016 | Runners-up | 2/16 |
| 2021 | Semi-final | 4/16 |
| 2022 | Champions | 1/16 |
| 2024 | Semi-final | 4/20 |
Two titles since 2010 and regular appearances in the latter stages underline England’s strength in white-ball tournaments. That said, England’s recent record also includes a heavy semi-final defeat to India at the 2024 tournament. Several of the players involved in the 68-run loss are named in the current provisional squad, although the team is distinctly different now.
Provisional Squad Named
England’s squad is expected to be confirmed in the coming days, but the provisional group has already been announced:
Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood.
By most accounts, it is a fairly uncontroversial selection with no major surprises. The balance between power hitters, all-round options, and specialist bowlers should serve England well for this competition. Some observers may have expected to see Saqib Mahmood included, but the right-arm fast bowler is currently managing an injury that ruled him out of the recent SA20.
Tournament Preparations
England’s build-up includes ODI and T20 series against Sri Lanka, a joint host of the T20 World Cup alongside India. The ODI matches run from 22nd to 27th January, followed by a T20 series from 30th January to 3rd February. These fixtures should provide some insight as to how England might fare when the tournament gets underway.
While these are useful fixtures, preparations have faced some disruption due to delays in securing visas for Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed. Both players, who have Pakistani heritage, are unlikely to travel with the rest of the squad for the initial warm-up games, and it remains unclear when they will be able to join their teammates. While such delays are not entirely unexpected, their delayed arrival is far from ideal, especially in Rashid’s case, given he’ll likely be heavily involved at the World Cup.
England’s Chances
England will arrive at the T20 World Cup with a squad that appears well-balanced and well-tested at international level. The selection reflects a mix of experience and versatility rather than reliance on any single individual. On paper at least, this team has a credible chance of going all the way, but they will need to perform at the top of their game.
Results in the lead-up to the tournament offer encouragement. England are unbeaten across their last four T20 series, having come through contests against New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and the West Indies. The series win over New Zealand does come with something of an asterisk, however, with two of the three matches abandoned due to rain.
The only real concern is whether England have what it takes to beat India on their patch. England have generally struggled against the tournament hosts in the T20 format. At the start of last year, they lost a five-match T20 series in India by a 4–1 margin. Should the two meet at some point in the competition, India would undoubtedly be the favourites, but this is not to say England would be without hope, as they are extremely capable when playing with confidence.
