Group A preview

The ninth staging of nan Men's T20 World Cup is now conscionable days away.

BBC Sport has collaborated pinch information analysts CricViz to preview each of nan 20 sides successful nan first group stage.

We've divided each of nan 4 groups into its ain preview and looked astatine really each broadside is shaping up earlier nan tournament, while CricViz has picked retired a cardinal batter and bowler.

Here's Group A, which features Canada, India, Ireland, Pakistan and nan USA.

ICC T20 world ranking: 23rd

T20 World Cup appearances: Debutants

Captain: Saad Bin Zafar

Head coach: Pubudu Dassanayake

Form (most caller last): WLLLL

Group fixtures (all times BST): USA (2 June, 01:30), Ireland (7 June, 15:30), Pakistan (11 June, 15:30) & India (15 June, 15:30)

Batter to watch: Aaron Johnson

Since his debut successful 2022, Johnson has been a revelation for Canada, pinch his runs propelling them to their first ICC tourney since 2011.

In T20I cricket, Johnson averages a shadiness nether 51 pinch a immense strike-rate of 167.

The right-hander has acquisition playing for nan Brampton Wolves successful nan GT20 Tournament successful Canada past twelvemonth alongside New Zealand duo Colin de Grandhomme and Tim Southee.

Bowler to watch: Kaleem Sana

Pakistan-born left-arm accelerated bowler Sana qualified and made his debut for Canada successful 2019. He has since taken 27 T20 wickets astatine an mean of conscionable supra 12.

Sana has first-class cricket acquisition successful Pakistan and has featured successful each version of nan GT20 tourney successful Canada, wherever immoderate of his biggest scalps see ex-England batter Alex Hales, erstwhile India prima Yuvraj Singh and Pakistan duo Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik.

ICC T20 world ranking: First

T20 World Cup appearances: Eight

Best T20 World Cup performance: Winners (2008)

Captain: Rohit Sharma

Head coach: Rahul Dravid

Form (most caller last): LWWWW

Group fixtures (all times BST): USA (2 June, 01:30), Ireland (7 June, 15:30), Pakistan (11 June, 15:30) & Canada (15 June, 15:30)

Batter to watch: Suryakumar Yadav

Of nan 8 India batters to person scored much than 1,000 runs successful each T20 cricket successful this World Cup cycle, nary person done truthful while scoring astatine much than 10 runs per over.

Right-handed Suryakumar is simply a existent 360-degree player, meaning he tin deed each information nan ground.

CricViz’s batting effect people put into discourse subordinate capacity connected apical of their earthy batting numbers to springiness a existent reflection of really valuable a subordinate is, and successful this rhythm nary subordinate successful world cricket has a higher mean batting impact.

Bowler to watch: Kuldeep Yadav

After a mates of years successful nan wilderness, Kuldeep Yadav is backmost and has firmly established himself arsenic 1 of nan world's astir skillful wrist spinners.

Since nan past T20 World Cup, nan left-armer has 15 wickets astatine an mean of conscionable 14 successful nan format, and should find conditions successful nan Caribbean to his liking.

No India bowler to person taken much than 10 wickets has a little mean than Kuldeep successful this cycle.

ICC T20 world ranking: 11th

T20 World Cup appearances: Seven

Best T20 World Cup performance: Round 2 (2009 & 2022)

Captain: Paul Stirling

Head coach: Heinrich Malan

Form (most caller last): LLWWW

Group fixtures (all times BST): India (5 June, 15:30), Canada (7 June, 15:30), USA (14 June, 15:30) & Pakistan (16 June, 15:30)

Batter to watch: Paul Stirling

He has been Ireland’s astir high-profile batter for a number of years now, playing successful various T20 franchise leagues astir nan world.

Although nan right-hander hasn't group nan world alight during this World Cup cycle, he is knowledgeable successful Caribbean conditions, having played much than double nan number of games of immoderate different Irish batter successful nan squad.

He will beryllium captious successful imparting his contented to his young batting portion arsenic nary Irish batter has played much games aliases scored much T20 runs than Stirling.

Bowler to watch: Josh Little

The left-arm gait bowlers fiery nature, earthy shot velocity and expertise to plaything nan caller shot has earned him galore admirers each complete nan globe, including successful nan Indian Premier League, wherever he plays for Gujarat Titans, and is nan only Irish subordinate successful nan competition.

He regularly surpasses 87mph, pinch 31% of his deliveries successful 2023 supra that speed, making him 1 of nan quickest bowlers successful nan competition.

ICC T20 world ranking: Seventh

T20 World Cup appearances: Eight

Best T20 World Cup performance: Winners (2009)

Captain: Babar Azam

Head coach: Gary Kirsten

Form (most caller last): WLWWL

Group fixtures (all times BST): USA (6 June, 16:30), India (9 June, 15:30), Canada (11 June, 15:30) & Ireland (16 June, 15:30)

Batter to watch: Azam Khan

Big and boisterous power-hitter Azam will beryllium nan cardinal portion of nan Pakistan puzzle going into nan tournament.

With nan ever reliable Babar Azam almost guaranteed to people a measurement of runs for Pakistan, precocious strike-rate players for illustration Azam clasp nan cardinal to unlocking those complete par totals.

The right-hander's strike-rate of 157 successful this World Cup rhythm is nan highest of immoderate subordinate successful nan squad and his expertise to return down rotation is good renowned, hitting a bound each 5 balls against nan slower bowlers.

Bowler to watch: Imad Wasim

Direct and no-nonsense left-arm spinner Imad is vastly knowledgeable successful nan Caribbean having played 54 matches successful nan Caribbean Premier League for Jamaica Tallahwahs.

His 58 profession wickets successful nan Caribbean person travel astatine an mean of 18, little than successful immoderate different state he has taken 10 aliases much wickets.

He is an master successful nan conditions Pakistan will brushwood should they advancement retired of their group and should beryllium a cardinal figure.

ICC T20 world ranking: 19th

T20 World Cup appearances: Debutants

Captain: Monank Patel

Head coach: Stuart Law

Form (most caller last): WWWWL

Group fixtures (all times BST): Canada (2 June, 01:30), Pakistan (6 June, 16:30), India (12 June, 15:30) & Ireland (14 June, 15:30)

Batter to watch: Steven Taylor

The USA’s highest T20I run-scorer will play a cardinal domiciled for his broadside successful their debut appearance.

The large hitting left-hander will look to return advantage of nan batting powerplay, wherever he strikes supra 150.

Taylor’s highest T20I people of 101 not retired is nan only T20I period scored for nan USA.

Bowler to watch: Nisarg Patel

The Gujarat-born USA left-arm spinner Patel operates almost exclusively done nan mediate overs successful T20 cricket, returning 11 wickets successful 8 games complete nan past 2 years.

No bowler has taken much T20 wickets (27) for nan USA than Patel.