Caribbean clubbers Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard make the West Indies the big-ticket item of the World Twenty20 championship starting next week in Sr Lanka.
It shapes as a familiar sight for Australian fans, who have seen Gayle and Pollard strut their stuff in the Big Bash League.
But while the West Indies have been given the unofficial tag of favourites to win their first global cricket title in eight years, Australian bookmakers have India, South Africa, Australia and hosts Sri Lanka listed above them in what shapes as a wide-open tournament.
Defending champions England hold the ICC’s current top ranking, although the non-selection of bad-boy Kevin Pietersen for showing disloyalty to former Test skipper Andrew Strauss will hurt Stuart Broad’s side, who won the 2010 final with Pietersen claiming the player of the series award.
Australia are downplaying their shocking world ranking of ninth, after George Bailey’s men completed a 2-1 series loss to Pakistan in Dubai earlier this week.
Most sides are expected to use spin as their trump card and a quick look at the ICC’s bowling rankings shows why, along with the tradition of spin-friendly Sri Lankan pitches.
The top-ranked bowlers in the game are Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, England’s Graeme Swann, South Africa’s Johan Botha, Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis, New Zealand’s Nathan McCullum and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi.
As for the batsmen, Gayle is a massive point of interest for fans in general and the left-hander’s aggressive style makes him the ultimate star performer.
Gayle doesn’t feel he needs to carry the side and has warned rivals the Windies have a deep batting lineup which takes the heat off him to be the main man.
“I can go out there with a clear mind and play my game,” Gayle says.
“There won’t be too much pressure.”
The Windies haven’t claimed a major event since the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy.
“The favourite tag line does not guarantee us a place in the final,” said captain Darren Sammy.
“We may have the best side on paper, but we have to pull all the resources together and win.”
Gayle says he’s not fooled by Australia’s low ranking, pointing to their record of winning four one-day World Cups.
“Australia are known for the big stage,” Gayle says.
Bailey hopes to put the rankings issue to bed very quickly.
“We’re not proud of it,” he said.
“I don’t think we’re embarrassed by it.”
Asked about the underdog tag, Bailey says he doesn’t care.
“If you think we’re an underdog … it has no bearing on what we do,” Bailey told reporters.
“We haven’t won this tournament. There’s a very proud history in Australian cricket of having won everything.
“For us not to have won this tournament is something that we’d like to rectify.”
