T20 World Cup 2024: Jos Buttler picks his semi-finalists, predicts Rajasthan Royals mates as top performers

The 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup is going on with full flourish, featuring 20 teams battling it out for the prestigious trophy. This ninth edition of the biennial ICC tournament is being co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States from June 1 to 29. It is a historic event, marking the first major ICC matches played in the United States and the Americas outside the West Indies.

England, the defending champions, are among the top contenders. The tournament has expanded from 16 teams in 2022 to 20 this year, including the two host nations, the top eight teams from the last edition, the next two in the ICC rankings, and eight from regional qualifiers. Notably, Canada and Uganda are making their debut, and the United States are co-hosting.

The teams are divided into four groups of five each. The top two from each group will move on to the Super 8 round, split into two groups of four. The best two from each Super 8 group will advance to the knockout stage, featuring two semi-finals and a final.

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As the drama unfolds, star English batter and captain Jos Buttler was asked about his top four contenders. He confidently named England, India, the West Indies, and South Africa. When asked about the top run-scorer and wicket-taker, Buttler, showing a bit of bias towards his Rajasthan Royals teammates, named Sanju Samson and Yuzvendra Chahal. Their franchise, Rajasthan Royals, even shared the video on social media, adding to the excitement.

The decision to host the tournament in the USA and the West Indies was announced in November 2021 after a joint bid by Cricket West Indies and USA Cricket, part of a strategic partnership built over two years. The tournament is a testament to cricket's growing global appeal, bringing the excitement of T20 cricket to new audiences across the Americas.