A long-haired Dhoni holding the World T20 trophy is still fresh in the mind but the tournament has turned five. In its 2014 avatar, 14 teams vie for the top prize of shoot and scoot cricket starting with qualifiers today and main matches on Friday.
India have a chance to hold all ICC trophies at the same time with a win but it won't be easy as three other past champions in West Indies, England and Pakistan will be there to stop them and not to forget the still-waiting Australia and South Africa. And, without Sri lanka the pie is never complete. Furthermore, there are the dark horses New Zealand.
Pioneer Sport tells you what to expect from this pulsating affair
INDIA
Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Best performance: Winners in 2009
In a quandary at the moment created by their performance over the past several months, wins over just Bangladesh and Afghanistan to show against their names, the Indian team would do well to go past the Group Stage of the tournament because, adding to their woes, they find themselves in what can be termed as the group of death. Clubbed with twin favourites West Indies and Australia, and the formidable Pakistan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men have to do something spectacular, like Yuvraj Singh's six sixes in 2007 when a young India made World T20 special by winning it. And, as we know, India are the current holders of all ICC trophies sans World T20 and suitable conditions in Bangladesh may well change that.
But does the team inspire confidenceIJ
Virat Kohli sure does, as do Dhoni and Yuvraj (at least in this format) and Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja have started to. But the story seems to end there. Rohit Sharma only seems to play well when there is perception that he might be dropped and Ravichandran Ashwin is still to take the mantle of India's premier bowler after playing all of India's matches being chosen over everybody else across all formats, including Amit Mishra who's in the side.
Then there are the faster men. But is there a guarantee that if the batting ends up scoring over 200, Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Varun Aaron bowling in the death overs would pull through. Mohammad Shami has done well lately but even he is inexperienced.
The odds in favour of a spinner being smashed in the final overs are more than a faster bowler but India are in a dilemma here. Suresh Raina was recently dropped from Asia Cup may find it difficult to make the cut with Ajinkya Rahane in the side. Rahane is untested on the world front but his IPl goodwill will be with him.
England
Captain: Stuart Broad
Best performance: Winners 2010
With Kevin Pietersen, their best batsman irrespective of the format, dropped from the team, only a miracle can take this Stuart Broad led side any further than the group stage. Inexperience in terms of Twenty20 exposure makes England probably the weakest of the top-eight sides who got automatic entry into the main draw. They still have a decent pace attack but the retirement of Greame Swann has left a big hole in their spin department, a big factor in sub-continent.
South Africa
Captain: Faf du Plessis
Best performance: Semis in 2009
Once again South Africa will try to force their way on the back of their fearsome pace attack and sharp fielding. They also have a good batting line up with some of the best hitters of the ball ready to plunder opposition on the feather beds of Bangladesh. But, as usual, their temperament to handle pressure of a big occasion. and the chokers tag, will be the focus.
New Zealand
Captain: Brendon McCullum
Best performance: Semis 2007
Even they don't know what they are capable of. New Zealand is a talented side with some dynamic players. Skipper Brendon McCullum has the services of Ross Taylor and all-rounders Corey Anderson and James Neesham. But they lack in spin department and their batsmen are also known to struggle on sub-continent pitches.
AUSTRAlIA
Captain: George Bailey
Best performance: Finalists in 2010
Explosive batsmen — and they have a galaxy of them — make them one of the favourites. left-arm bowlers is another power centre of the Aussies with Mitchell Johnson (if fit), James Faulkner, left-arm leg-spinner Brad Hogg and Mitchell Starc. The only weakness is spin, both while paying against it or having bowlers in their line-up.
PAKISTAN
Captain: Mohd Hafeez
Best performance: Winners in 2009
Pakistan are perhaps the best bowling side at Wold T20 headed by the miser Saeed Ajmal, rated as the best in the business. Then, there is the high-flying Shahid Afridi while Sohail Tanvir and Umar Gul make a handy pace pair. All-round abilities of Mohammad Hafeez will only help but batting is a worry.
Sri lanka
Captain: Dinesh Chandimal
Best performance: Finalists in 2009, 2012
Having played in two finals and one semifinal in four World T20s so far, they are among the most consistent sides in this format. The biggest factor that would work in their favour is that they have been playing in Bangladesh for the last two and a half months — winning the bilateral series against Bangladesh and the Asia Cup — and know the conditions better than any other team. The team's batting revolves around Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena. With lasith Malinga to take care of death overs, their spin trio of Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake make them a good bowling unit. Under new captain Dinesh Chandimal, Sri lanka will try to make up for the disappointment of 2012 final loss to West Indies.
Sri lanka
Captain: Darren Sammy
Best performance: Winners in 2012
Mystery spinners and hard-hitting batsmen is the mantra of T20s and the West Indies personify this. Sunil Narine and Chris Gayle are regarded as the epitomes of bowling and batting in the game's youngest avatar. Dwayne Smith with all his IPl experience from in similar pitches may be a nightmare as the other opener and Samuel Badree is the other spinner which can fox the batsmen. But the ones to watch out for would be Dwayne Bravo and the man who made them the defending champions, Marlon Samuels. Bravo's all-rounder abilities, especially in the tight finishing overs make him their trump card, especially in the absence of Kieron Pollard, who is out due to a knee injury. Their ever reliable all-rounder captain Darren Sammy remains an undervalued asset.
Fixture
March 16 15:00 IST
Qualifying Group A
Bangladesh v Afghanistan
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 16 19:00 IST
Qualifying Group A
Hong Kong v Nepal
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 17 15:00 IST
Qualifying Group B
Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sylhet Stadium
March 17 19:00 IST
Qualifying Group B
Netherlands v United Arab Emirates
Sylhet Stadium
March 18 15:00 IST Qualifying Group A
Afghanistan v Hong Kong
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 18 19:00 IST
Qualifying Group A
Bangladesh v Nepal
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 19 15:00 IST
Qualifying Group B
Netherlands v Zimbabwe
Sylhet Stadium
March 19 19:00 IST
Qualifying Group B
Ireland v United Arab Emirates
Sylhet Stadium
March 20 15:00 IST
Qualifying Group A
Afghanistan v Nepal
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 20 19:00 IST
Qualifying Group A
Bangladesh v Hong Kong
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 21 11:00 IST
Qualifying Group B
Zimbabwe v United Arab Emirates
Sylhet Stadium
March 21 15:00 IST
Qualifying Group B
Ireland v Netherlands
Sylhet Stadium
March 21 19:00 IST
Group 2
India v Pakistan
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 22 15:00 IST
Group 1
South Africa v Sri lanka
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 22 19:00 IST
Group 1
England v New Zealand
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 23 15:00 IST
Group 2
Australia v Pakistan
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 23 19:00 IST
Group 2
India v West Indies
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 24 15:00 IST
Group 1
New Zealand v South Africa
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 24 19:00 IST
Group 1
Sri lanka v TBC (Qualifier B1)
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 25 19:00 IST
Group 2
West Indies v TBC (Qualifier A1)
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 27 15:00 IST
Group 1
South Africa v TBC (Qualifier B1)
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 27 19:00 IST
Group 1
England v Sri lanka
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 28 15:00 IST
Group 2
Australia v West Indies
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 28 19:00 IST
Group 2
India v Qualifier A1
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 29 15:00 IST
Group 1
New Zealand v Qualifier B1
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 29 19:00 IST
Group 1
England v South Africa
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 30 15:00 IST
Group 2
Pakistan v Qualifier A1
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 30 19:00 IST
Group 2
Australia v India
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
March 31 15:00 IST
Group 1
England v Qualifier B1
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
March 31 19:00 IST
Group 1
New Zealand v Sri lanka
Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong
April 1 15:00 IST
Group 2
Australia v Qualifier A1
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
April 1 19:00 IST
Group 2
Pakistan v West Indies
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
April 3 18:30 IST
1st Semi-Final
1st Group 1 v 2nd Group 2
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
April 4 18:30 IST
2nd Semi-Final
1st Group 2 v 2nd Group 1
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur
April 6 18:30 IST
Final
TBC v TBC (Reserve Day 7th April)
Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur