The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah has predicted the teams which will qualify for the semi-finals of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
According to Shah, India, Australia, New Zealand West Indies will book their spot in the final four.
“India, Australia, New Zealand and the hosts, West Indies, because they are good in T20,” Shah was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
Earlier, legendary West Indies batter Brian Lara predicted the semi-finalists and finalists of the World Cup.
According to the former left-hander, India, West Indies, England and Afghanistan will qualify for the last four.
"The West Indies should do well. They have a lot of individual stars and when they come together as a team, they do well. India, with all their cry over selection, they find themselves in the top four. England, they seem to enjoy Caribbean a lot, lay on the beach a lot, so they will be there. For the fourth spot, I think Afghanistan. They are capable of getting into the four,” Lara told Press Trust of India.
He is also keen on seeing the final being played between India and the West Indies.
“India and West Indies final is going to make up for so much wrong that has happened in the past. India missing out in 2007 in second round, that killed us in the Caribbean. We don't want that to happen again. So, India and West Indies in the final and may the best team win,” Lara added.
55 games will be played across nine different venues in West Indies and the United States (US) from June 1 in the World Cup.
The venues in West Indies are Kensington Oval, Barbados; Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad; Providence Stadium, Guyana; Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua; Darren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia; Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent.
Meanwhile, three venues will hold the matches in the United States — Eisenhower Park, New York; Lauderhill, Florida; and Grand Prairie, Texas.
The semi-finals of the event will be played on June 26 and 27 in Guyana and Trinidad respectively while the climax of the World Cup will take place in Barbados on June 29.
Groups for T20 World Cup 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