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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Matthew Cooper

England legend Steve Harmison names the five teams that can win T20 World Cup

Former England quick Steve Harmison believes there are five teams who could win the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Defending champions Australia are widely viewed as the favourites to retain their crown, with this year's tournament taking place Down Under, but Harmison feels the nature of T20 cricket means one player could carry their team all the way.

And he named England, Australia, India, Pakistan and New Zealand as teams with the "match-winners" to go on and lift the trophy. "I can see England and Australia troubling India at the World Cup," Harmison told OnlineCricketBetting.

"T20s are about somebody producing a moment of brilliance and I don't think India are necessarily favourites or playing the best cricket. Obviously Kohli could get India to the semi-final of the World Cup with just a couple of scores, he is a fantastic player and he can get India there.

"If anyone gets 100 from 50 balls they will get their team over the line. You can win all your games to get to the semi-final, but in T20 there is always the chance that someone gets 100 and they'll win.

"One player can change everything on any day, which is what T20 is all about, and England, Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand have match-winners as well as India. This World Cup is going to be brilliant because there are so many superstars that can win a game at any point.

Australia are the defending champions, having won last year's T20 World Cup in the UAE (Steve Bell/Getty Images for ICC T20 World Cup)

"Team performances will get you to the semi-finals and a big player can stand up and win the games from there. England have a few players that can have a huge influence on the big stage in pressure situations because they've done it before."

England skipper Jos Buttler believes his side team are "dangerous" and one that "sides wouldn't want to play against", but does not count them as favourites. "I think this World Cup coming up now is actually a bit of a free hit for us, it's very early in our time as a team," Buttler said.

"We've got a squad full of match winners and I think that's an exciting place to be as a T20 team looking ahead to that World Cup. We by no means go there as favourites, but I feel like we'll be a dangerous team that sides wouldn't want to play against."

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