T20 World Cup 2021: Kevin Pietersen Picks His Favorite To Win Tournament And Star Player
Published - 23 Oct 2021, 01:09 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:59 AM
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Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has revealed his favorites to win the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2021 which is being played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. The Super 12s group has been confirmed after the qualifying round threw up the four teams which will advance to the main round.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will join Australia, England, the West Indies, and South Africa in Group 1 of the Super 12s stage. On the other hand, in group 2, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and New Zealand will be joined by Scotland and surprise entrants Namibia. Ireland, Oman, Papua New Guinea, and the Netherlands were eliminated from the T20 World Cup 2021.
Kevin Pietersen Backs England To Win The T20 World Cup; Pakistan Dark Horses
Kevin Pietersen was the Player of the Tournament when England won the T20 World Cup in 2010 in the West Indies and has backed the Eoin Morgan led side to win the tournament once more, after losing in the finals of the 2016 edition to West Indies, who became the first two-time champions.
Pietersen went for England, who are the 2019 ICC World Cup champions, ahead of hot favorites India, who beat them in the warmup match as well. England is the No. 1 team in the world in T20 cricket and hence Pietersen put them as victors of the tournament ahead of India.
‘I think it’s between India and England, it’s always tough to call between two good teams in the T20 format. I do think Morgan’s team have got a really good chance, though. Every single team fear England. Their firepower with the bat is the envy of other players on the circuit.
They play without fear, without consequences, and when you have the backing of everybody in the dressing room to do what you do then you’re going to get results. I think the selection of [Tymal] Mills swings it in their direction,” Pietersen told Betway.
He further said that Pakistan will be the dark horse to win the T20 World cup 2021 and Pietersen cited the presence of Babar Azam in the 2009 T20 World Cup champions as the reasoning for his pick.
‘They are probably slipping under the radar because none of their players play in the IPL, but they are a fantastic T20 team. Babar is a quality performer, and they have some dangerous bowlers, too. They always seem to come good at major events. hey won the 2017 Champions Trophy when everybody was backing against them and even beat England, who went onto win the tournament, at the 2019 World Cup,” he said.
Glenn Maxwell To Be The Player Of The Tournament: Kevin Pietersen
The former England captain also named his choice of the Player of the tournament winner of the T20 World Cup 2021 and chose Australia’s big-hitter Glenn Maxwell. Maxwell is coming off 513 runs in IPL 2021 for the RCB team.
‘Maxwell was unbelievable for RCB in the IPL recently, scoring four 50s in five innings, and could win Australia some matches by himself. ‘I think if he can take them through the group stage and into the latter stages, this could be remembered as Maxwell’s tournament,” Pietersen added.
