Which is the toughest group in 2024 T20 World Cup?

The schedule for the ICC Men’s 2024 T20 World Cup was released on Friday, January 5. The tournament featuring 20 teams will be held from June 1 to June 29 in the United States and the West Indies. The participating nations have been divided into four groups of five each.

A total of three venues in the USA and six in the West Indies will be utilized for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024. Ten of the 20 teams will play their opening match of the tournament in the USA, with 16 games to be held in Lauderhill, Dallas, and New York, ICC confirmed.

The World Cup will begin with the group fixtures. The top two sides from each group will then qualify for the Super 8s. In the Super 8 stage, the teams will again be divided into two groups of four each. The top two nations from the two groups will qualify for the knockout stage.

The two semi-finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup will be played in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago on June 26 and 27, respectively, while the final will be held in Barbados on June 29.

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Analyzing the 2024 T20 World Cup groups

Both India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A. (Pic: Getty Images)

If we take a look at the groups for the 2024 T20 World Cup, India, USA, Pakistan, Canada, and Ireland are in Group A, while England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, and Oman are in Group B.

Group C includes West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea, while Group D has South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, and Nepal.

It’s a really difficult task to pick one 2024 T20 World Cup group and term it the toughest. If we analyze Group A, India and Pakistan look like the strongest contenders to progress to the Super 8 stage. Both teams have lifted the trophy on one occasion each. While the Men in Blue reached the semi-finals in the 2022 edition in Australia, Pakistan made a superb recovery after a disastrous start to finish runners-up.

India and Pakistan will expect to have it slightly easy against co-hosts USA and Canada, considering the lack of experience at the top level. Of course, one cannot write anyone off, especially in the T20 format.

Ireland, who have been around the international scene for a few years now, could pose a challenge to the two Asian sides. Having said that, it would be a massive upset if India or Pakistan lost their 2024 T20 World Cup match to Ireland.

Shifting focus to Group B, defending champions England and 2021 winners Australia would be expected to qualify for the Super 8 round of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Namibia, Scotland, and Oman are the three other sides in the group.

While Namibia and Scotland have pulled off a few upsets in international cricket, they will have to play out of their skins to get the better of either England or Australia. The relatively inexperienced Oman will also be keen to put up a challenge, but it remains to be seen what they can come up with against quality sides like England and Australia.

Turning our attention to Group C, co-hosts West Indies will be up against New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea. Three teams in this group are in serious contention to make it to the Super 8. Apart from the two-time winners West Indies, both New Zealand and Afghanistan will fancy their chances of finishing in the top two in their 2024 T20 World Cup group.

The Windies may have failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup, but it is no secret that they are a different beast in the T20 format. The Kiwis may not have won a World Cup yet, but they rarely fail to make it to the knockouts.

Afghanistan, though, would believe that they are strong enough to overcome the West Indies and New Zealand challenge. They have improved in leaps and bounds over the last few years.

South Africa and the Netherlands are in the same group. (Pic: Getty Images)

Finally, looking at Group D, South Africa are the strongest team on paper. But their tendency to choke could make for an interesting scenario just as the case was in the 2022 edition. Their nemesis Netherlands are also part of the same group.

Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been inconsistent lately, but one can never write them off. As for Nepal, they are not expected to reach the Super 8s but could make life tough for the other sides in the group.

Of the four groups, C and D are tough ones as it could be a three-way tussle in both cases. But if we have to pick one, Group C, with strong T20 sides West Indies, New Zealand, and Afghanistan, seems like the toughest one. Group D, on the other hand, is more unpredictable as each of South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh tend to self-destruct.