The ICC World Twenty20 got off to a timid start in Nagpur on Tuesday. However, there is still some confusion on how to brand this first phase of the tournament. On twitter there is an army of associate cricket supporters, including the Netherlands captain Peter Borren who have taken umbrage to it being called the qualifier.
Confusion Around Tournament Format
When this format was devised before the 2014 World Twenty20, the ICC faced a lot of flak for not effectively conveying what this first phase stood for.
In effect this format was borrowed from the now defunct Champions League Twenty20. In the CLT20, the lesser teams or rather the non Indian/Australian/South African teams played the first round to ‘qualify’ for the main stage of the tournament.
That format sunk the CLT20 and it is now history. But with the ICC World Twenty20, the world governing body attempted something similar. They tried every possible way to fit in 16 teams for a world event, without devaluing the product with a number of meaningless games.
Qualifier After Qualifying
The result? You end up having eight teams being drawn in the first phase and two progressing from this to the main event.
In effect you have one week of official qualifiers after a full fledged qualifying tournament was staged in July 2015 in Ireland and Scotland. For the associates the first phase is almost like an insult to their cricket abilities.
They look at the scaled down approach from the ICC with regards to the watered down status of the bells and whistles around the event as a grave injustice. There are no zing bails and the razzmatazz around the first round, the stadiums look deserted.
Hence the social media sphere is full of angry remarks about the concept of the tournament.
The Bangla Conundrum
To make matters further complicated, you have Bangladesh playing this ‘qualifying’ stage of the tournament after finishing as runner-up at the Asia Cup on Sunday. Bangladesh finished ahead of Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but have a longer route to play the big boys.
All this is down to the volatile nature of the T20I team rankings.
Zimbabwe the Target
Zimbabwe has improved a bit under coach Dav Whatmore, but they are still a shadow of what they were in the 1990s.
The other Associates-Oman, Hong Kong, Ireland and Scotland- in the fray have come through a tough grind. But the challenge from the associates is going to be a tough one to assess. Zimbabwe look like the marked side to be taken down by the associate teams in this the first phase.
Afghan, Ireland Eye Gains
Ireland and Afghanistan are the most fancied of the lot. Both Afghanistan and Ireland feel they are better than the rest of the pack, but always get bracketed with the rest of the associates. They have some big impact players who are among the best in the Associate world.
Oman on the other hand are absolute greenhorns. They have come through on the basis of some outstanding performances in the World Twenty20 Qualifier last year. Their consultant coach is Derek Pringle, former England cricketer and their coach is former Sri Lankan captain Duleep Mendis.
Overall, the first round is hardly an indication of all the fun and games in store when the big boys begin playing. The scenario and crowds along with the bells and whistles are expected to change dramatically when the actual tournament gets underway.
But do not tell the associate countries that.