The 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup returns this October 17 after being delayed by a year. The tournament moves from India to two new hosts: the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, who will face six other nations for four spots in the Super 12 Group Stage. India leads all the nations as the betting favourites while a slew of contenders all vie for a shot at the coveted title. Let’s have a look at the betting predictions.
What To Know About The 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
Cricket’s prestigious international tournament returns, a year delayed from the COVID-19 pandemic but here nonetheless. The seventh edition of the tournament will now take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman from India with Australia hosting next year’s tournament.
This year’s T20 will still have 16 participants but with 45 matches instead of 35 from the last tournament. Unlike in 2016, the Super 12 will only have eight automatically qualified members, down from 10. That means four teams will emerge from the preliminary group stages.
The preliminary groups are:
- Group A: Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands, Sri Lanka
- Group B: Bangladesh, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Scotland
The top two from each group will join the eight already in the final group stages:
- Group 1: Australia, England, South Africa, West Indies
- Group 2: Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, Pakistan
Group 1 is the “Group of Death” for the tournament with heavyweights Australia and England plus the defending champions and the only participant to have won the T20 more than once, the West Indies. Group 2 is no slouch either and features the favourites per the betting odds, India, along with a popular underdog, Pakistan.
T20 World Cup Betting Favorites: Is It India’s Time?
India will lead a top-heavy list of participants for this year’s tournament. The inaugural champions are lined at 3.27 (odds via SportsInteraction (SIA)) to win the tournament or 30.5% per implied probability. The nation had a string of disappointing runs until 2014 where it finished second and then made the semi-finals last tournament.
But recapturing the title won’t come easy as they will have to go through several of these other contenders:
England (4.37)
The 2010 champions are second only to India when it comes to the betting odds. England finished as a runner-up in 2016. Their only two losses came at the hands of the champions, the West Indies. The nation is the top-ranked Cricket team in the world and is coming off winning the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup on their own soil.
Australia (5.13)
The Australians are one of the top cricket nations that have yet to win the T20. They came close several times finishing as a semi-finalist in 2007 and 2012 and as the runner-ups in 2010. But they have not advanced past the group stages since. They will need to beat one of England or the West Indies to return to the knockouts.
Other Contenders To Watch
Beyond the top three betting favourites, any of the following teams can also emerge as champions:
Pakistan (7.88)
The 2009 champions find themselves in the same boat as the Australians as a prolific nation that has yet to return to the knockouts since 2012. They find themselves in the “easier” of the two groups with only India being a considerable threat. But they can ill-afford to be upset by any other team.
New Zealand (10.00)
Despite a lack of success in the T20, the Kiwis have been on a roll and are the third-ranked participant in this tournament. They will need to beat out Pakistan or India to clinch a spot in the semi-finals, something they have only done twice in the T20. This team is India’s kryptonite in these internationals and they have not lost to them since 2003.
West Indies (10.00)
The two-time champions have only failed to advance past the group stage twice in the tournament’s history. However, they have not been as hot as the other teams ahead of them in the betting odds and have dropped to eighth in the ICC rankings. Still, at 10-1 odds, this outfit can be a lucrative underdog bet.
T20 World Cup Schedule
The T20 World Cup begins on October 17 at 3:00 a.m. ET. The host nation Oman will open the tournament against Papua New Guinea as part of the preliminary group stage. This stage will take place from October 17 to 22.
The Super 12 Group Stage will take place beginning on October 23 at 3:00 a.m. ET. Australia will take on South Africa. This stage will run from October 23 to November 8.
And finally, the semi-finals or the knockout stages will take place between the top two teams of each group. The games begin on November 10, 9:00 a.m. ET.
The 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Final will take place on November 14, 9:00 a.m. ET at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Betting on the T20 World Cup and other Cricket Matches
SIA is only but one top sportsbook that offers cricket betting odds. You can find more of these books from our partner table below. Remember to visit as many books as you can as they all offer different lines, markets, and will have their own promotions. This includes a deposit bonus for first-time players!
