'Put all those things together, then they are the team to beat': Atherton names 'favourites' for T20 World Cup

India vs England: Michael Atherton feels three teams are most capable of winning the T20 World Cup later this year, one of which he feels are 'favourites'.

As India beat England in the final T20I of the five-match series by 36 runs to clinch it 3-2, they sent timely alarms bells to teams across the world ahead of the T20 World Cup. India's remarkable ability to stage spirited comebacks when the chips are down is what makes them probably the biggest threat among all teams. In a series where the side chasing had the advantage, India changed the template in the last two games, winning them after setting a target.

File image of Michael Atherton. (Getty Images)

In the fourth T20I, India were put to bat and put on 185 runs on the board, followed by a gritty performance by their bowlers. In the fifth T20I, India replicated it, only this time posting 224 – their highest total in T20Is against England – which proved to be enough. Given what has transpired in the series, Michael Atherton, the former England captain feels India are favourites to win the T20 World Cup later this year, while backing England and West Indies to also do well.

"I think so. They probably have more strength in depth because of the IPL and the T20 cricket they play and the fact they have just beaten England without probably three main bowlers," Atherton said on Sky Sports. "Put all those things together, and the fact they are playing at home, then they are the team to beat. It won't be a cakewalk – England are a very good side and West Indies and other sides are dangerous as well – but if you priced it up, you would say India are favourites."

Prior to the start of the series, the captain of England, the No. 1-ranked T20I side in the world, Eoin Morgan, had tipped India to be the favourites for the T20 World Cup. The last time the T20 World Cup was played was in 2016, where India finished semi-finalists. "Given that the World Cup is here, I do think they will enter the World Cup as favourites, so this is going to be a great test for us and a great challenge and throughout the whole tour and not just for T20s," Morgan had said.

But India captain Virat Kohli instead said that England, who won the 2019 World Cup, can make complete a double by winning the T20 WC too and that they would be the 'team to beat'. "They are the number one side in the world and the prime focus will be on them in this World Cup. All the other teams will be wary of the strengths that they bring onto the park and every other team would agree with what I say. It's England who are the favourites and that will not change regardless of how they think," Kohli had said.