NEW YORK: Brian Lara, the former West Indies captain, has outlined his predictions for the semi-finalists of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which is scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States and West Indies.
Lara’s optimism for the West Indies team’s performance stems from their abundant individual talent and their ability to coalesce as a cohesive unit. Despite recent controversies surrounding India’s team selection, Lara believes they are likely contenders for the top four.
“The West Indies should perform well. They possess numerous individual stars, and when they unite as a team, they excel. Despite the selection turmoil, India seems destined for the top four. An India versus West Indies final would rectify past grievances, particularly India’s unfortunate elimination in the 2007 second round, which deeply impacted the Caribbean. We aim to avoid such a scenario. Therefore, an India versus West Indies final would be ideal, with the best team prevailing,” Lara remarked.
Additionally, Lara identified Afghanistan and defending champions England as strong contenders for securing semi-final berths.
The tournament is scheduled to kick off on 1 June, with the co-hosts USA facing off against neighboring Canada.
Cricket World Cup T20 2024
Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, United States
Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman
Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea
Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Nepal
