Group A, one of the spiciest and most thrilling groups of the upcoming T20 World Cup, promises some very exciting battles in the coming weeks. India and Pakistan are set to face off on June 9th in New York. The T20 World Cup 2024 will begin with a Group A game between the hosts, the USA, and their neighbors, Canada, on June 2nd. While the group features powerhouses like India and Pakistan, it’s the teams like Ireland, USA, and Canada that make this group one to watch out for. These teams bring an element of unpredictability and are among the most competitive low-tier teams in the 2024 T20 World Cup. So, join us as we take a deeper look at Group A of the 2024 T20 World Cup, analyze all the squads, and share our predictions.
Group A Teams
- India
- Pakistan
- Ireland
- Canada
- USA
Schedule
Group A matches will be played at various venues across the United States. Here’s the complete schedule:
- June 1: United States vs. Canada, Dallas – 06:00 AM IST (June 2) (07:30 PM Local)
- June 5: India vs. Ireland, New York – 08:00 PM IST (09:30 AM Local)
- June 6: United States vs. Pakistan, Dallas – 09:00 PM IST (10:30 AM Local)
- June 7: Canada vs. Ireland, New York – 08:00 PM IST (09:30 AM Local)
- June 9: India vs. Pakistan, New York – 08:00 PM IST (09:30 AM Local)
- June 11: Pakistan vs. Canada, New York – 08:00 PM IST (09:30 AM Local)
- June 12: United States vs. India, New York – 08:00 PM IST (09:30 AM Local)
- June 14: United States vs. Ireland, Florida – 08:00 PM IST (10:30 AM Local)
- June 15: India vs. Canada, Florida – 08:00 PM IST (10:30 AM Local)
- June 16: Pakistan vs. Ireland, Florida – 08:00 PM IST (10:30 AM Local)
Squads
India
Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan.
- Captain: Rohit Sharma
- Head Coach: Rahul Dravid
- Appearances: 8
- Highest Run-Scorer: Virat Kohli (4037 runs)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Yuzvendra Chahal (96 wickets)
- Most Capped Player: Rohit Sharma (151 matches)
- Titles Won: 1 (2007)
- ICC T20I Team Ranking: 1
Pakistan
Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan.
- Captain: Babar Azam
- Head Coach: Gary Kirsten
- Appearances: 8
- Highest Run-Scorer: Babar Azam (4023 runs)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Shadab Khan (107 wickets)
- Most Capped Player: Babar Azam (119 matches)
- Titles Won: 1 (2009)
- ICC T20I Team Ranking: 6
Ireland
Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.
- Captain: Paul Stirling
- Head Coach: Heinrich Malan
- Appearances: 7
- Highest Run-Scorer: Paul Stirling (3589 runs)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Mark Adair (119 wickets)
- Most Capped Player: Paul Stirling (142 matches)
- Titles Won: 0
- ICC T20I Team Ranking: 11
Canada
Saad Bin Zafar (c), Aaron Johnson, Ravinderpal Singh, Navneet Dhaliwal, Kaleem Sana, Dillon Heyliger, Jeremy Gordon, Nikhil Dutta, Pargat Singh, Nicholas Kirton, Rayyankhan Pathan, Junaid Siddiqui, Dilpreet Bajwa, Shreyas Movva, Rishiv Joshi; Reserves: Tajinder Singh, Aaditya Varadharajan, Ammar Khalid, Jatinder Matharu, Parveen Kumar.
- Captain: Saad Bin Zafar
- Head Coach: Pubudu Dassanayake
- Appearances: 0
- Highest Run-Scorer: Navneet Dhaliwal (870 runs)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Saad Bin Zafar (43 wickets)
- Most Capped Player: Saad Bin Zafar (38 matches)
- Titles Won: 0
- ICC T20I Team Ranking: 23
USA
Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir; Reserves: Gajanand Singh, Juanoy Drysdale, Yasir Mohammad.
- Captain: Monank Patel
- Head Coach: Stuart Law
- Appearances: 0
- Highest Run-Scorer: Steven Taylor (742 runs)
- Highest Wicket-Taker: Nisarg Patel (27 wickets)
- Most Capped Player: Saurabh Netravalkar (27 matches)
- Titles Won: 0
- ICC T20I Team Ranking: 18
Team-by-Team Preview
India
India enters the tournament as one of the favorites, boasting a balanced squad with experienced campaigners and young talents. With a powerful batting lineup and a diverse bowling attack, India is expected to make a strong push for the title.
- Batter to Watch: Virat Kohli – His experience and ability to anchor the innings will be crucial.
- Bowler to Watch: Kuldeep Yadav – His spin can be game-changing on American pitches.
Pakistan
Pakistan, known for their unpredictability, have a formidable lineup led by the charismatic Babar Azam. Their pace attack, led by Shaheen Afridi and Amir, will be pivotal in their campaign.
- Batter to Watch: Babar Azam – Consistent and stylish, he is the backbone of Pakistan’s batting. The performance of Babar will pretty much be the deciding factor for Pakistan as to where they finish.
- Bowler to Watch: Naseem Shah – His raw pace and ability to swing the ball make him a key player.
Ireland
Ireland has been making strides in international cricket, and their recent performances show they can compete with the best. With a mix of experienced players and emerging talents, they could spring a surprise in the group.
- Batter to Watch: Harry Tector – A young and promising batsman with a lot of potential.
- Bowler to Watch: Josh Little – His pace and accuracy can trouble the best of batsmen.
Canada
Canada is the underdog in the group but has the potential to upset the bigger teams. With a balanced squad, they will look to make a mark in this tournament.
- Batter to Watch: Navneet Dhaliwal – A reliable top-order batsman.
- Bowler to Watch: Kaleem Sana – His all-round abilities will be crucial for Canada.
USA
As the hosts, the USA will look to leverage home advantage and the growing popularity of cricket in the country. With some experienced players and exciting talents, they aim to make a significant impact.
- Batter to Watch: Steven Taylor – A key player who can turn games around with his batting.
- Bowler to Watch: Nisarg Patel – His consistency with the ball will be vital for the USA.
Predictions
India and Pakistan are favorites to progress from Group A, given their depth and experience. However, Ireland’s potential to upset big teams cannot be ignored, making the group stage highly competitive. The battle for the top spot between India and Pakistan will be a highlight, and their June 9 clash is expected to be a blockbuster.
- Top Run-Scorer Candidates: Virat Kohli (India), Babar Azam (Pakistan), Harry Tector (Ireland)
- Top Wicket-Taker Candidates: Kuldeep Yadav (India), Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan), Josh Little (Ireland)
Breakdown of the Group C – In-Depth Preview and Predictions