2021 T20 World Cup betting guide
Every four years, the top national teams come together to fight it out in the ICC T20 World Cup – the international championship of Twenty20 cricket. Here, we take you through everything you need to know about the Twenty20 World Cup, including how and where to bet on the tournament.
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Top T20 World Cup betting markets
As one of the major international tournaments on the cricket calendar, the T20 World Cup comes with a enormous array of online betting options. Below are some of the more popular markets on offer.
- Futures bets are all about the tournament as a whole, rather individual matches. Most online bookies post T20 World Cup futures odds many months in advance of the tournament’s kickoff date, so there is always some value to be had if you get in early. Popular futures markets include:
- Outright winner
- To reach the final
- Group winner
- Top tournament runscorer
- Top tournament wicket-taker
- There are hundreds of bets on offer for each match at the T20 World Cup, ranging from standard head-to-head wagers to the most outlandish of exotics. Popular match picks include:
- Match winner
- Over/under total runs
- Over/under total sixes
- Top team runscorer
- Top team wicket-taker
2021 T20 World Cup tournament format
After several delays and scheduling changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup is now set to take place in the UAE and Oman (with India as the nominal host nation). The first round kicks off on Sunday, October 17, while the final is locked in for Sunday, November 14.
- A total of 14 teams will feature at this year’s tournament: the top 10 in the ICC rankings as of December 31, 2018, including the host nation; and the six teams that progressed through qualifiers held in 2019. See the complete list below.
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- England
- Ireland
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Scotland
- South Africa
- West Indies
- The first round features eight teams – the six qualifiers and the bottom two teams from the automatic selections – split into groups of four:
Group A
- Ireland
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Sri Lanka
Group B
- Bangladesh
- Oman
- Papua New Guinea
- Scotland
After a round-robin series, the top two teams from each group will advance to the following stage.
- Now we’re really getting into the swing of things. Once the first round is done, the Super 12 stage kicks off with two groups of six teams apiece:
Group 1
- Australia
- England
- South Africa
- West Indies
Group 2
- Afghanistan
- India
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
After the round-robin games, the top two sides from each group progress to the semi finals. The two winners of the semis then face off in the final, where the victors will be crowned T20 World Cup champions.
2021 T20 World Cup contenders & outright odds
Who are the teams to follow at the 2021 T20 World Cup? Will we see the big boys dominate as usual, or might one of the underdogs spring a huge upset? See our analysis of the top teams below, including title odds from Australia’s top cricket betting sites.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 2nd
- T20 World Cup odds: $3.40 at BetOnline
The ‘home’ nation will go into the tournament as the favourite, and rightly so. No country boasts more depth of talent in all formats of the game, but especially in T20 cricket. If Virat Kohli catches fire, it is hard to see how they don’t lift the trophy.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 1st
- T20 World Cup odds: $5 at Sportsbet
England might be the best allround white-ball team in international cricket, so it is no surprise to see them right at the pointy end of the title betting. Eoin Morgan’s men are the reigning ODI Cricket World Cup champions and will fancy their chances of adding another title to the mantel.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 9th
- T20 World Cup odds: $7.50 at Bet365
They have waited a long time to defend their T20 World Cup title, but can this West Indies outfit match up to the one that triumphed in 2016? Even though some of the big names in this squad might be past their prime, the Windies’ power hitters could be hard to contain if the pitches are as flat as expected.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 7th
- T20 World Cup odds: $8 at BetOnline
Can Australia finally break through on the Twenty20 stage? The preparation has been far from ideal, and lingering uncertainty surrounding the team leadership and the best XI has punters sitting on the fence. Still, the Aussies in any white-ball tournament cannot be written off entirely.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 4th
- T20 World Cup odds: $8 at Bet365
This is a very good New Zealand side, and it has been for a while now. The likes of Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill, Trent Boult and Tim Southee offer great quality and experience, while young guns such as Kyle Jamieson and Devon Conway could give them the spark required to go deep.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 3rd
- T20 World Cup odds: $8.50 at Neds
As ever, it is almost impossible to get a read on Pakistan. At their best, they are one of the most exciting teams in the game; at their worst, they are a dead-set shambles. It would be a brave punter who backs them for the title, but perhaps Babar Azam can inspire this side to greatness.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 5th
- T20 World Cup odds: $15 at Bet365
To put it bluntly, South African cricket is in utter disarray at the moment. Things off the field have gone from bad to worse leading up the tournament, while the days of AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis and Dale Steyn leading the charge are done and dusted. Given their past struggles in major tournaments, it would be a huge shock if the Proteas snatched the title here.
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 10th
- T20 World Cup odds: $67
Bangladesh
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 6th
- T20 World Cup odds: $51
Afghanistan
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 8th
- T20 World Cup odds: $67
Ireland
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 12th
- T20 World Cup odds: $501
Netherlands
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 17th
- T20 World Cup odds: $501
Namibia
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 19th
- T20 World Cup odds: $501
Oman
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 18th
- T20 World Cup odds: $501
Papua New Guinea
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 15th
- T20 World Cup odds: $501
Scotland
- ICC Twenty20 ranking: 14th
- T20 World Cup odds: $501
Odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au
T20 World Cup history
When the English counties began experimenting with a new 20-over format in the early 2000s, few could have predicted just how quickly it would take off. By the 2005, Twenty20 cricket had reached every continent. Two years later, the first edition of the T20 World Cup – then called the ICC World Twenty20 – was staged in South Africa, where India edged out Pakistan to claim the inaugural title.
T20 cricket has come a long way since. The launch of the Indian Premier League in 2008 ushered in a new era for the sport, leading to the development of T20 franchise leagues all over the world. That has seen the 20-over game transform into something entirely different from 50-over cricket, and the game continues to evolve all the time.
Several nations – especially Australia, for so long the kings of 50-over cricket – were slow to embrace the new format, so the early editions of the World T20 were something of a sideshow. But there is no stopping this revolution, and the T20 World Cup now stands alongside the ODI Cricket World Cup as one of the major titles in the international game.
T20 World Cup records & past winners
- Most titles: Two – West Indies (2012, 2016)
Greatest winning margin: 172 runs – Sri Lanka vs Kenya, 2007
Highest innings total: 260/6 – Sri Lanka vs Kenya, 2007
Highest successful run chase: 230/8 – England vs South Africa, 2016
- Most runs: 1,016 – Mahela Jayawardene (SL)
Highest score: 123 – Brendon McCullum (NZ) vs Bangladesh, 2012
Most wickets: 30 – Shahid Afridi (PAK)
Best bowling figures: 6/8 – Ajantha Mendis (SL) vs Zimbabwe, 2012
Year Winner Runner-up 2021 Australia New Zealand 2016 West Indies England 2014 Sri Lanka India 2012 West Indies Sri Lanka 2010 England Australia 2009 Pakistan Sri Lanka 2007 India Pakistan
Best places to bet on the ICC Twenty20 World Cup
Well into the 10s of millions is expected to be punted on the tournament right around the globe and as always Australia is expected to be at the forefront of betting throughout the tournament. BettingSite.com.au will be there every step throughout the tournament and vows to bring you the latest odds and best bets on offer at the top Australian online bookmakers.
Top 5 T20 bookies: