Kevin Pietersen predicts T20 World Cup winner and names 'dark horses'

Kevin Pietersen has backed England to win the upcoming T20 World Cup but says ‘dark horses’ South Africa could do ‘some real damage’.

England begin their T20 World Cup campaign on Saturday against Afghanistan.

They reached the semi-finals of the last tournament in the United Arab Emirates and are aiming to lift the T20 World Cup trophy for the second time.

England go into the competition having beaten Pakistan in a recent T20i series and winning three of their four warm-ups games in Australia – the other was abandoned due to rain.

After their T20 World Cup opener against Afghanistan, England play defending champions Australia, last year’s runners-up New Zealand and two teams from qualifying.

Pietersen told Betway: ‘This England white-ball team is absolutely spectacular. They really are. They’re fabulous to watch, they’ve got all bases covered, and I think they go in as favourites.

‘It was a great victory in Pakistan, a huge victory. And they’ve been very confident in the way they’ve played the warm-up games in Australia. It’s been the perfect build-up.

‘The non-selection of Jason Roy, from what we’ve seen so far, hasn’t been too much of an issue.

‘With Phil Salt or Alex Hales coming in, Dawid Malan playing the way that he has, and Jos Buttler popping back in and doing the business, the decision has almost been proved right.

‘The World Cup hasn’t started yet, though, and that comes with many different expectations.

‘A series in Pakistan and a couple of warm-up games is one thing, but when you’re playing against the best players in the world every other day on the biggest stage, let’s hope that the decision to drop Roy doesn’t prove to be one that hinders England’s success.’

South Africa have never won a World Cup but Pietersen believes the Proteas will be a formidable challenge in Australia and has identified them as the ‘dark horses’ going into the tournament.

‘The reason why I say South Africa could be the dark horse is because, with the weather conditions that are knocking around, that South African bowling attack – Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada – could do some real damage,’ Pietersen added.

‘I’ve seen what Rabada and Nortje have done in the IPL when they played together for a season, and you can be 20 for five or 30 for six very quickly. Their batters won’t need to score that many runs to knock off those kind of totals.’

Australia, meanwhile, are bidding to become the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup trophy.

Aaron Finch’s side are ranked No. 1 in the world but were outplayed by England in three successive warm-up games.

Rating Australia’s chances, England legend Pietersen added: ‘I don’t draw too much from warm-up games, so I don’t think Australia will be concerned with their performances.

‘The biggest players in the world want a crowd, they want competition, and they want energy from other avenues.

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