After weeks of exhilarating cricketing action and drama, the T20 World Cup has delivered on its promise in its first trip to the United States of America. With the group stage concluded, highlighted by yesterday’s marquee clash between Afghanistan and West Indies, the tournament now moves into the meatier part - the Super Eights. Only the best from the four groups remain, with co-hosts USA making it to this phase for the first time in history. But there's much more that unfolded during the group stage, offering a glimpse of what's to come in the tournament's backend. Here are some key takeaways from the ICC T20 Men's World Cup group phase.

The Associates Are Here to Stay

This World Cup had a more global feel with teams like Nepal and Canada making their first-ever T20 World Cup appearances. Despite initial skepticism about weaker teams facing powerhouses like India and Australia, these newcomers proved critics wrong. Scotland came close to qualifying, Nepal and the Netherlands challenged South Africa, and USA secured a thrilling Super Over win against Pakistan. While there are still gaps in quality and talent pools, with more opportunities, these differences are likely to diminish over time. The Sixer community can certainly vouch for their talent!

Bowlers Rule the Roost

In the recent IPL, batters dominated, but this T20 World Cup has seen a shift. Bowlers are now ruling the roost, with only three scores of 200+ so far. Lockie Ferguson's figures of 4-4-0-3 against PNG, earning a Sixer score of 10, highlight this dominance. Venues have been more favorable to bowlers, restoring a balance between bat and ball.

The Return of the All-Rounder

The Impact Sub rule in the IPL was heavily scrutinized, but the T20 World Cup, without such luxuries, has allowed all-rounders to shine. Players like Marcus Stoinis and Andre Russell have multiple six-plus match scores, while Bas de Leede and Axar Patel have also impressed. With pitches in the West Indies likely to test batters early on, all-rounders are valuable picks for your Sixer portfolio.

Venue Hustle or Hassle?

Venues have also been a hot topic, with New York yielding low-scoring thrillers. Each venue across the USA and West Indies has offered unique challenges. India and Bangladesh, having played all their matches in the States, will face different conditions moving forward. Barbados is expected to be a high-scoring venue, while Antigua and Trinidad will test batters. Watch out for spin and high pace in what promises to be a superb Super Eight phase.

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