Cricket T20 World Cup

Which team will be champion this year?

AFGHANISTAN * Is the first Affiliate Member of the ICC to qualify for a senior ICC event. * Won the ICC WT20 Qualifier 2010 in United Arab Emirates, beating Ireland in the final. * Played in a quadrangular Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka with Canada, Ireland and Sri Lanka A in February this year. * Holders of the ACC Twenty20 Cup which it won in November 2009. * Successively won the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Divisions Five, Four and Three to qualify for the ICC CWC Qualifier in 2009. * Became the 22nd nation to play ODIs in April 2009. * In addition to beating Scotland in their first ODI, they have also registered ODI wins against Netherlands and Canada. * Made one of the highest winning fourth innings totals in first-class cricket when they reached 494-4 to beat Canada in an ICC Intercontinental Cup match in February this year.

AUSTRALIA * Played in the inaugural Twenty20 International match, defeating New Zealand at Auckland in February 2005 by 44 runs. * Reached the semi-final of ICC WT20 2007, despite having lost to Zimbabwe in the group stages. * Failed to qualify for the second round of ICC WT20 2009, losing both first round matches. * Made the highest total batting second in a Twenty20 International, scoring 214-4 against New Zealand at Christchurch in February this year to tie the match. It lost on the Super Over. * Won the last three ICC CWCs: 1999, 2003 and 2007. * Won the last two ICC CT tournaments, in India in 2006 and South Africa 2009 where they beat New Zealand by six wickets in the final. * It is currently the highest-ranked team in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI team rankings. * Its domestic Twenty20 competition began in 2005-06 and the current holder is Victoria, who defeated South Australia by 48 runs in the final in 2010.

BANGLADESH * Played its first Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe at Khulna in November 2006, winning by 43 runs. * Reached the second round of ICC WT20 2007 after beating West Indies by 6 wickets at Johannesburg. * Failed to qualify for the second round of ICC WT20 2009. * Reached the Super Eight stage of ICC CWC 2007, beating India in the first round. * Has achieved ODI wins against all other Full Member teams except England. * Had a successful tour to West Indies last year, winning both Tests and all three ODIs. * Was accorded ODI status in 1997 and Test status in 2000.

ENGLAND * Played its first Twenty20 International against Australia at Southampton in June 2005, winning by 100 runs. * Finished third in its group in the second round of ICC WT20 2009. * Since losing in the ICC CWC 1992 Final, England has only appeared in two semi-finals of ICC events, at the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004 and 2009. * Finished fifth in the Super Eight table at ICC CWC 2007. * Lost to Australia in the semi-final of the ICC CT 2009. * Finished fourth in its group i

INDIA * Won the inaugural ICC WT20 in South Africa in 2007, beating Pakistan by five runs in the final. * Played its first Twenty20 International against South Africa at Johannesburg in December 2006, winning by five wickets. * Finished fourth in its group in the second round of ICC WT20 2009. * Failed to reach the second round of ICC CWC 2007 after losing to Bangladesh. * Scored the highest ICC CWC total when making 413-5 against Bermuda at Port-of-Spain at ICC CWC 2007. * Won ICC CWC 1983, beating West Indies by 43 runs in the final at Lord`s. It bowled West Indies out for 140 in reply to its total of 183. * Shared the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 title with Sri Lanka after the final was abandoned to due rain.

IRELAND * Lost to Afghanistan in the final of the ICC WT20 Qualifier 2010 in United Arab Emirates. * Shared the trophy with Netherlands at ICC WT20 Qualifier 2008 in Ireland. * Progressed to the Super Eight stages of the ICC WT20 2009, defeating Bangladesh in the Group Stages! * Won ICC CWC Qualifier 2009 in South Africa, qualifying for ICC CWC 2011. * Beat Pakistan and Bangladesh and tied with Zimbabwe during its successful run at ICC CWC 2007. * Gained ICC Associate membership in 1993. * Has won the past three ICC Intercontinental Cup competitions.

NEWZELAND * Played in the inaugural Twenty20 International against Australia at Auckland on 17 February 2005, losing by 44 runs. * It was involved in the first tied Twenty20 International v West Indies at Auckland in 2006. New Zealand won a bowl-out after the game. * Lost by six wickets to Pakistan in the semi-finals of ICC World T20 2007. * Reached the semi-final of ICC CWC 2007 where it lost by 81 runs to Sri Lanka in Kingston. * It has reached the semi-final five times in World Cups but has yet to reach a final. * Only ICC tournament win came in ICC Champions Trophy 2000 in Kenya, where it beat India by 4 wickets in the final. * Going into the ICC World WT20 2010, it has currently played more Twenty20 Internationals than any other team, with 33. * New Zealand`s first domestic Twenty20 competition was held in the 2005-06 season. Central District won the trophy in 2009-10.

PAKISTAN * Won ICC WT20 2009, beating Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the final at Lord`s. * Played its first Twenty20 International against England at Bristol in 2006, losing by five wickets. * Lost by five runs in the final of ICC WT20 2007 to India. * Pakistan`s Umar Gul was the leading wicket-taker at both previous ICC WT20 tournaments, with 13 each time. * Mohammad Asif bowled the first maiden over in a Twenty20 International against England at Bristol in 2006. * Failed to advance to the Super Eight stage of ICC CWC 2007 after losing to Ireland. * Has appeared in two ICC CWC finals, winning in 1992 and losing in 1999. * Pakistan first held a domestic Twenty20 competition in the 2004-05 season. Amazingly, the past five tournaments have all been won by the Sialkot Stallions.

SERILANKA * Lost to Pakistan in the final of ICC WT20 2009. * Its first Twenty20 International was against England at Southampton in 2006. Sri Lanka won by two runs. * Finished third in its group in the second round at ICC WT20 2007, thus missing out on a semi-final place. * Scored a Twenty20 International world record total of 260-6 against Kenya at Johannesburg during ICC WT20 2007. * Tillakaratne Dilshan was the leading run-scorer at ICC WT20 2009, with 317 at a strike-rate of 144.74. * Reached the final of ICC CWC 2007 and lost to Australia by 53 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method at Bridgetown. * Won ICC CWC 1996 beating Australia by seven wickets in the final at Lahore. * Shared the trophy with India at ICC Champions Trophy 2002 in Sri Lanka after rain washed out the final. * Has staged domestic Twenty20 tournaments at both club and provincial level. Wayamba have won all three of the provincial competitions held thus far.

SOUTHAFRICA * Hosted the inaugural ICC WT20 in 2007, but failed to reach the semi-finals in the competition. * Played its first Twenty20 International against New Zealand at Johannesburg in October 2005, losing by five wickets. * Lost to Pakistan by seven runs in the semi-final of ICC WT20 2009. * Set a record with seven consecutive wins in Twenty20 Internationals in 2009. This has subsequently been emulated by Pakistan. * Its only trophy in an ICC event is the ICC Knockout Trophy (now ICC Champions Trophy) in 1998 in Bangladesh. * Lost to Australia in the semi-final of the ICC CWC 2007. * Has a poor record in semi-finals of ICC events, having won only one of the eight in which it has participated. * First staged a domestic Twenty20 competition in 2003-04. The current holders are Warriors who beat Lions in the final in March this year.

WESTINDIES * Lost to Sri Lanka by 57 runs in the semi-final of ICC WT20 2009. * Played its first Twenty20 International against New Zealand at Auckland in February 2006. The match was tied and New Zealand won a bowl-out. * Failed to reach the second round of ICC WT20 2007 after losing to Bangladesh. * Chris Gayle was the first batsman to score a century in a Twenty20 International when he made 117 against South Africa at Johannesburg during the ICC WT20 2007. * Its highest Twenty20 International total is 208-8 against England at The Oval in 2007. * Won the ICC CWC 1975 and 1979 and lost in the final in 1983. * Won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004, beating England by two wickets in the final at The Oval. * The first domestic Twenty20 event held in the West Indies was the Stanford Twenty20 in August 2006. Trinidad and Tobago won the 2008 event, beating Jamaica by nine wickets in the final.

ZIMBABWAE * Beat Australia in Cape Town in 2007 in its first ICC WT20 match, to emulate their victory over the same team in its first ICC CWC match in 1983. * Did not participate in ICC WT20 2009 in England. * Beat West Indies by 26 runs in a Twenty20 International at Port-of-Spain in February this year. * Its highest Twenty20 International total is 184-5 against Canada at Toronto in 2008. * Two Zimbabweans, Ray Price and Prosper Utseya, are amongst the four bowlers who have conceded just six runs in four overs of a Twenty20 International. * Reached the Super Six stage in ICC CWC 1999 and ICC CWC 2003, but have yet to reach a semi-final in an ICC event. * Have recorded ODI wins over all other Full members of the ICC. * The domestic Twenty20 tournament held in Zimbabwe in February this year was won by Mountaineers who beat Mashonaland Eagles in the final.