England should be fighting at the end of the tournament. Selection, contract issues and fitness issues were a shambles in India, but I don’t think England will perform like that at the World Cup. This time, the team will be solid and full of confidence as they head to the Caribbean.
The thing is, this T20 World Cup could be the hardest to win of all the T20 World Cups because of the number of teams that can compete. West Indies are full of power and South Africa are very strong, even though there are always question marks on their mentality. Australia knows how to win World Cups and India has the skill set and experience to be very competitive as well. Pakistan remains an unknown quantity, but will be a threat. New Zealand has experience and they always show it in World Cups. There are so many good teams.
Most of the Indian matches start at 10.30 am, which is definitely an advantage for India. The pitch is dry and dew-free, so spin will play a more beneficial role for India. If the World Cup score is 170-par, all the teams I mentioned can win. If it is 210-240-par on small grounds and flat pitches, the teams with the strongest batting line-ups are England, South Africa, Australia and West Indies, followed by New Zealand. I think India is less powerful. But if it is 170-par, Indian bowling can win the championship.
I always look at T20 tournaments and ask myself what wins in these events. Generally, it’s the best bowling attack – the bowlers who can get wickets – so if I were England, I’d pick Mark Wood and Jofra Archer.