The Super 10 stage of the ICC World T20, the juncture at which the highest ranked nation enter the competition, is about to get underway. Here is a look at the Group 2 contenders.

Australia

Squad: Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Steven Smith (c), Andrew Tye, David Warner, Shane Watson, Adam Zampa.

Having won their fifth ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015, Australia will be aiming to add their first global T20 tournament to their ever-growing trophy cabinet.

The World Cup winners will have been disappointed with their overall form over the five tournaments so far, only making one final back in 2010, losing to India.

Packed full of explosive hitters and canny bowlers, the Australian squad looks to be one of the most balanced in the tournament and 2016 could prove to be their year.

One to watch: Shane Watson – Usman Khawaja’s recent form, both with Australia and the domestic scene, is hard to ignore. But with a top order looking to accommodate Aaron Finch, David Warner and Steven Smith, the Sydney Thunder left-hander could miss out. Watson on the other hand is a mainstay of the side, was crucial in Thunder’s Big Bash win this winter, and will be crucial with both bat and ball if Australia are to break their T20 major tournament duck.

India

Squad: Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni (c), Harbajhan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh.

With the ICC World T20 returning to the subcontinent for the third tournament in a row, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be three of the favourites heading into the showpiece event.

India, led by MS Dhoni and full of talent with the bat, and particularly in the spin department with Ravichandran Ashwin are strong favourites to win the competition on home soil.

One to watch: Virat Kohli – The right-hander is not the typical big-hitting T20 batsman but with an average of 52.61, the highest by anyone who has played more than seven matches, and strike rate of over 130, in 38 matches, he is the rock around which the likes of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma can play their expansive games.

Pressure situations are where Kohli performs at his best, his average of 84.22 in chases in T20Is is testament to that, and if he fires India could go all the way.

New Zealand

Squad: Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson (c).

The second of the ICC Cricket World Cup finalists in Group 2, New Zealand will be looking to go one step further in the T20 equivalent global tournament.

Packed full of canny stroke players in Martin Guptill, Grant Elliott, Corey Anderson and Ross Taylor, marshalled by the unflappable Kane Williamson and able to call on the likes of Tim Southee and Trent Boult with the ball, New Zealand shouldn’t be far away from challenging for their first title in the shortest format.

One to watch: Martin Guptill – With Brendon McCullum having retired earlier this year, New Zealand will not only be missing his energy on the field, but his ability to take the game away from opposition bowlers inside a few overs. That mantle has been passed onto Guptill, and the right-hander will be out to give his side with the explosive powerplays required to help them through the group stages.

Pakistan

Squad: Shahid Afridi (c), Sarfraz Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Nawaz, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Sami, Ahmed Shehzad, Imad Wasim.

Buoyed by the return of Mohammad Amir to the international arena and able to call on the pace of Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Irfan, Pakistan’s fast bowling department is well stocked.

However, overall they have a relatively inexperienced squad and the batting will have to be carried by the likes of Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik if they are to progress from the group stages.

One to watch: Shahid Afridi – Captain, lower-order power-hitter and wily leg-spinner, Afridi will be Pakistan’s go-to man in every facet of the game. The 36-year-old plays only T20Is for his country and if he can fire, in what could be his last tournament before retiring from the international scene, Pakistan could prove the dark horses of the group.

Bangladesh

Squad: Taskin Ahmed, Nurul Hasan, Shakib Al Hasan, Abu Hider, Nasir Hossain, Al-Amin Hossain, Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Mohammad Mithun, Musfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mustafizur Rahman, Soumya Sarkar, Arafat Sunny. 

Easing through their preliminary round group, Bangladesh - with conditions on their side - will provide a stern test for all fancies nations,

Full of explosive hitters throughout their order, backed up by the bowling of captain Mashrafe Mortaza and Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh could yet prove to be the surprise package of the ICC World T20.

One to watch: Tamim Iqbal – Knocks of 83*, 47 and 103*, the first Bangladesh player to score a T20I century, perfectly showcased the importance of the former Outlaw to Bangladesh’s chances of causing an upset.

The talented left-hander will aim to get his side off to the perfect start from the top of the order and if he can keep-up his form of the preliminary round, could be the spark that Bangladesh need to pull off some shock results.

 

England are returning to the scene of their Ashes triumph in 2016 for Royal London One-Day Internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Don't miss the opportunity to watch some of the best players in the world go toe-to-toe in the unique surroundings of Trent Bridge and secure your seats now.