No room for error as Super 8 stage begins

The ICC T20 World Cup has now entered a phase where winners can’t be predicted. With no margin for error, each team will try to bring its best in the Super 8 stage.

While Group 1 features India, South Africa, West Indies and Zimbabwe, Group 2 comprises Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand.

India enter the Super 8 phase riding high on wins in all their four group fixtures. Though the wins over USA, Pakistan, Namibia and Netherlands raised some questions, what mattered was the full points. However, that time has passed when the side could afford to ignore the poor run of batters against spin, bowlers conceding too many runs and catches getting dropped.

South Africa also enter the Super 8 stage unbeaten. The Proteas hold the advantage of having played three league matches here. They will play two of their Super 8 matches at this venue.

West Indies, one of the underdogs, gave a commanding performance to top their group with all wins. One of their major kills was the 30-run win over England. They will open against Zimbabwe, who hunted down giants Australia and even finished ahead of co-hosts Sri Lanka.

In the other group, Pakistan enter the Super 8 with their trademark unpredictability. Though they suffered their biggest defeat against India, Pakistan will be hoping to forget about the group stage and start afresh as they take on New Zealand in Colombo on Saturday.

Sri Lanka enter the stage with a balanced combination of youth and experience. Their spin department could play a crucial role in slowing down aggressive batting sides, while their batters have shown adaptability in varied conditions. England are yet to play to their full potential as they struggle with a lack of stability in bowling. New Zealand, who are often labelled as the most consistent performers in ICC tournaments, have shown composure in their matches so far.