Former England captain and world champion Eoin Morgan has highlighted the formidable strength and depth of the Indian squad, marking them as favourites to clinch the T20 World Cup trophy next month. After a disappointing loss to England in the last edition of the tournament in 2022, Rohit Sharma and his team are determined to go the distance this year.
India recently announced their 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, set to be held in the West Indies and the USA. While many fans expressed satisfaction with the selected team, some voiced concerns over the omission of consistent performers like Shubman Gill and Rinku Singh, who were included as reserves.
Despite these concerns, ODI World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan lauded the overall quality of the Indian side and backed them to secure their second T20 World Cup title.
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“The strongest side, even with injuries throughout the tournament, is India, without a doubt. Their strength and depth is absolutely incredible at the moment. We’re talking about players who missed out on the squad of 15 because of the sheer quality they possess,” Eoin Morgan commented on Sky Sports. “They are favorites for me. The quality they have on paper, if they produce it, they can beat anybody in the tournament quite convincingly.”
In the same discussion, former England opener Michael Atherton remarked on the paradox of India not winning a T20 World Cup since the inaugural event in 2007, despite the rise of the IPL. Atherton elaborated on the irony that while the IPL has significantly improved India’s T20 game, the only T20 World Cup victory came before the league’s existence.
“They haven’t won it since that first World Cup back in 2007. That’s the great irony. Everybody talks about the IPL and how it has improved India’s T20 cricket, yet the only time they’ve won it was pre-IPL,” Michael Atherton observed.
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With a potent squad and the motivation to end a 17-year drought, India enters the T20 World Cup 2024 with high hopes and expectations. The blend of experienced players and dynamic newcomers positions them as a team to watch in the upcoming tournament.
