India Twenty20 World Cup Team

India Team - Twenty20 World Cup India will once again be amongst the favourites for the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup. The Indian team failed to defend its T20 World Cup title in 2009, and will be looking to make amends to its fans in the Caribbean in 2010.

The Indians have a number of advantages coming into the 2010 Twenty20 World Cup. The team is packed with players with extensive experience of the short format, courtesy of the successful Indian Premier League. It is also bursting with class, as a new generation of star batsmen and bowlers find their feet on the international stage.

Twenty20 World Cup History

India entered the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup on the back of a disappointing performance at the World Cup of Cricket. While India are always a threat in any cricket tournament, even their most enthusiastic supporters were surprised by their brilliant run of form in the tournament.

The Indian team went through the first group stage unbeaten, before topping their group in the Super Eights stage of the tournament. India then defeated World Cup of Cricket champions Australia in the semifinal, before winning the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup with a thrilling victory over arch-rivals Pakistan.

The 2009 edition of the Twenty20 World Cup started well for the Indians as they topped Group A in the first stage of the tournament. However, the Indian campaign went off the rails during the Super 8s stage of the tournament as the team lost every one of its Super 8 fixtures, losing to England, South Africa and the West Indies.

Strengths and Weaknesses

India has a number of strengths. The team has a full house of world class bowlers, combining genuine pace with beguiling spin. The team’s batsmen are amongst the finest in the world, and includes both big hitters and more patient players capable of pacing an innings to perfection. India’s biggest asset is the Indian Premier League, which gives its players extensive exposure to high-pressure T20 cricket.

India’s biggest weakness is the team’s tendency to capitulate in high-pressure situations when playing in international tournaments. The team tends to lose its nerve at crucial junctures of international tournaments, and does not recover well when upset in the early stages of a tournament like the 2010 T20 World Cup.