Cricket expert Richard Mann has been in red-hot form of late, and delivers his daily preview and best bets for the T20 Cricket World Cup right here.
Cricket tips: T20 World Cup daily bets
1pt No fifty in the Netherlands/Pakistan match at 3/1 (General)
2pts Shimron Hetmyer to hit over 1.5 sixes against Scotland at 7/4 (bet365)
1pt Phil Salt to hit over 1.5 sixes against Nepal at 7/4 (bet365)
1pt Lorcan Tucker top Ireland batsman against Sri Lanka at 11/2 (bet365)
Netherlands v Pakistan
- Venue: Colombo
- Start time: 05:30 (SAT)
- TV: Sky Sports Cricket
The ICC T20 World Cup begins on Saturday, and it’s alarm clocks at the ready for the early start as Pakistan and the Netherlands open the show in Colombo.
Pakistan warmed up with a 3-0 home series win over Australia, and they will hope their abundance of spin bowling options can prove handy at a venue that is generally tough for batting and usually offers plenty of turn.
It could be tough work for the Dutch if they bat first, and I don’t remain fully convinced about Pakistan’s own batting.
The Netherlands have plenty of spin options themselves, and NO FIFTY IN THE MATCH looks a sporting bet at 3/1 on what is expected to be a challenging surface.
Scotland v West Indies
- Venue: Eden Gardens
- Start time: 09:30 (SAT)
- TV: Sky Sports Cricket
Conditions should be much better for batting when Scotland face the West Indies at Eden Gardens.
This is almost always a very good place to bat, a true pitch and some tiny boundaries.
The West Indies could go large if batting first, particularly the big-hitting SHIMRON HETMYER who is backed to hit OVER 1.5 SIXES IN THE MATCH at 7/4.
Hetmyer was in superb form in the recent T20I series with South Africa, loving life in his new role at number three and blasting 12 maximums in three innings, including six in one game alone.
This is a ‘drop in class’ for the powerful left-hander, so expect him to dominate.
India v USA
- Venue: Wankhede
- Start time: 13:30 (SAT)
- TV: Sky Sports Cricket
Later, India will be fancied to make short work of United States of America in Mumbai.
India are strong favourites for outright glory, but the USA are no mugs and beat Pakistan at the 2022 T20 World Cup.
Posted at 12:20 GMT on 05/02/26
Afghanistan v New Zealand
- Venue: Chennai
- Start time: 05:30 (SUN)
- TV: Sky Sports Cricket
This has the ingredients to be a low-scoring affair.
As always, it's probably best to start with likely conditions, and Chennai has historically been one of the more spin-friendly surfaces in the IPL.
The caveat is that rank turners and low scores can often come at the end of that tournament, so making steadfast assumptions early in this World Cup could be dangerous.
Nevertheless, Afghanistan boast an outstanding spin attack, headed by Rashid Khan, while New Zealand do appear a little light on power with the bat.
Furthermore, Afghanistan's own batting appears to be their weaker suit.
We'll sit tight for now, but any suggestion this pitch is going to spin big would lead me to an unders runs bet on either team.
England v Nepal
- Venue: Wankhede
- Start time: 09:30 (SUN)
- TV: Sky Sports Cricket
England kick off their World Cup campaign against minnows Nepal, and this should be straightforward for Harry Brook's side.
It can often pay to side with the opening batsmen in a mismatch, with the very real possibility that England find themselves chasing a low score against a modest bowling attack.
Jos Buttler would ordinarily be my pick, but his opening partner, PHIL SALT, will surely fancy feasting on some weak prey.
Salt looks primed to go well, but let's try backing the Lancashire blaster to hit OVER 1.5 SIXES IN THE MATCH at 7/4.
The Wankhede is a small ground where sixes are commonplace, and Salt is just the man to take advantage.
Sri Lanka v Ireland
- Venue: Colombo
- Start time: 13:30 (SUN)
- TV: Sky Sports Cricket
Colombo and Sri Lanka's spinners will present Ireland with a significant test on Sunday, one which the men in green could struggle to overcome.
Sri Lanka are no world-beaters, but they are often a tough nut to crack in their own conditions, particularly on a ground like this which will spin.
One man in the away ranks who does play spin well is LORCAN TUCKER, with a Test hundred in Bangladesh on his CV and a top score of 80 in Sri Lanka against the red ball.
In this format, Tucker remains a solid fit in the Ireland line-up at number four, and he made an aggressive half-century against England at the end of last summer.
Expect him to play plenty of sweep shots and look to work the field, and he rates a bet at 11/2 to be TOP IRELAND BATSMAN.
Posted at 16:15 GMT on 05/02/26
More Cricket content
- Richard Mann's T20 World Cup outright preview
- Richard Mann's T20 World Cup specials preview
- Paul Krishnamurty's T20 World Cup best bets
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