Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill secured the world-record highest partnership (an unbeaten 171 v Pakistan) in the format over summer. Photo / Getty Images
Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill secured the world-record highest partnership (an unbeaten 171 v Pakistan) in the format over summer. Photo / Getty Images
• With Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill securing the world-record highest partnership (an unbeaten 171 v Pakistan) in the format over summer, and Colin Munro and Corey Anderson with two of the highest strike rates - Munro is 3rd with 159 and Anderson 14th with 145 forthose facing more than 150 balls - New Zealand are capable of quick runs.
• Is New Zealand's post-Vettori spin attack underrated? Nathan McCullum, in his final international foray, has 55 wickets at a strike rate of 20 and economy rate of 6.90 in 61 matches. Supplement that with Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi, and it makes for a solid mix of wicket-taking and parsimony.
• The Kiwis are ranked fourth. The T20 rankings can be a flimsy guideline but a top three of India, West Indies and South Africa could be about to change.
• Have you seen the format? The Kiwis must beat at least two of India, Pakistan and Australia in pool play, plus the qualifier, to guarantee a semifinal. That is a big ask on the subcontinent. In the two other subcontinental World T20s, New Zealand failed to progress beyond the Super 10.
• Is the pace attack up to it? Mitchell McClenaghan (6th) and Adam Milne (13th) are New Zealand's top-ranked pace bowlers with Trent Boult (60th), Tim Southee (70th) and Corey Anderson (71st) posing limited threats of late with the ball.
• If New Zealand are to outperform their opposition, more is required from Luke Ronchi with the bat. In six T20 innings on the subcontinent, he averages 21 and strikes at 130; but in six T20 innings over the past year, he averages 7.66 and strikes at 100 with a top score of 29 against Zimbabwe.
Jason Roy of England bats during the ICC Twenty20 World Cup warm up match between New Zealand and England. Photo / Getty Images
• In essence, there are two tournaments: the qualifiers to find the last two teams to enter the main draw; and the main event of 10 teams.
• The qualifier, also being played in India, will end tonight with the winner of each of two groups slotting into Group 1 and Group 2.
• The favourites for those spots are Bangladesh, who will be tough for any team in the sub-continental conditions and have form for knocking heavyweights over, and Afghanistan. Afghanistan played Zimbabwe overnight to decide Group B; Bangladesh meet Oman tonight to decide Group A.
• Once qualifying is completed, two pools of five teams will play round-robin matches.
• Known as Super 10 groups 1 and 2, No 1 will comprise West Indies (ranked 2nd), South Africa (3), England (6), Sri Lanka (8) and either Afghanistan (9) or Zimbabwe (11). The second quintet are India (1), New Zealand (4), Australia (5), Pakistan (7) and either Bangladesh (10) or Oman (17).
• The group games will run from early Wednesday morning (NZT) when India face New Zealand in Nagpur - situated in the middle of India and the scene of one of New Zealand's best overseas test wins (1969) - until March 29 (NZT) when South Africa play Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
• The top two teams from each pool will progress to the semifinals - 1st v 2nd and corresponding crossover - to be played in New Delhi and Mumbai on March 31 and April 1 (both 2.30am NZT).
• The final is at Kolkata's Eden Gardens starting at 1.30am NZT on April 4.
• The event's 35 games are finished in 26 days.
India
Virat Kohli of India. Photo / Getty Images
Three reasons: they're at home, explosive with the bat and smart operators with the ball, and they're No 1 in the rankings. OK, that's four. The last time India hosted a world event - the 2011 World Cup - they won it, coping admirably with the staggering demands from the passionate, boisterous home fans.
A batting mix of Dhawan, Sharma, Kohli (average 52.61, strike rate 133.07), Raina and captain Dhoni will take some stopping. They have uncovered a promising fast-medium death bowling talent in Jasprit Bumrah. Throw in Ravi Ashwin's spin and experienced left-armer Ashish Nehra, who has good T20 numbers, and they'll be desperately hard to stop - assuming they cope with those expectations.
Australia
David Warner of Australia. Photo / Getty Images
They're ranked fifth (one place behind New Zealand) with a rating of 113 but discount that because only nine points separate the teams ranked second to eighth and they have quality T20 performers. David Warner might have a middle-order role, and his 77 off 40 balls at Johannesburg this week suggested he's relishing the change.
Add in Glen Maxwell's hot-and-cold but rich limited-overs talents, and the all-round skills of James Faulkner and Mitch Marsh, plus captain Steve Smith and Aaron Finch in the top three, and the Aussies are not the roughest of hopes. Bowling looks their weaker suit. They start against New Zealand, followed by the qualifier (probably Bangladesh). If they're 2 and 0, with tails up, they will be a real threat.
South Africa
Dale Steyn of South Africa. Photo / Getty Images
Yes, we know they've flattered to deceive on the big stage but that's got to change some time, right? Think of it like this: AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, thumping hitter David Miller, Dale Steyn (39 games, 57 wickets at 15, economy rate a compelling 6.4), legspinner Imran Tahir (22 games, 35 wickets at 15.4, economy rate 6.5) - that's more than a half-decent lot.
They've warmed up with a 2-1 defeat at home to the Aussies but are good enough to break the hoodoo and are ranked third. They'll start with England and the qualifier (Afghanistan or Zimbabwe) so there's potential for a flying start. They need to watch out for potholes, though. They've had a tendency to step into them in past ICC tournaments.
The roughie: West Indies
Chris Gayle of the West Indies. Photo / Getty Images
The West Indies won in 2012 and are ranked No 2, so that might seem a bit, well, rough. They have form in this. However, they will be hurt by the absence Sunil Narine, their tricksy-dicksy spinner who is banned for a suspect action.
Their prospects could also be further damaged if big-hitter Andre Russell is ruled out for missing three drugs tests in a year. There's a hint of relying on ageing hands such as Chris Gayle, captain Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo but all three are match winners. Put it this way, no one should be particularly surprised if the Windies win it.
