In numbers: Why India look favourites to win T20 WC 2016

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Nagpur, March 15: India led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni will take on New Zealand in their first match of the T20 World Cup at Nagpur on Tuesday (March 15). The 2007 winners look favourites to lift their second T20 World Cup this summer since the numbers are favouring them in all departments.

Here is Team India's performance in numbers (source: ESPNCricinfo):

• India have 9-1 record in last 10 matches: on nine out of last 10 matches, including a 3-0 win over Australia in their den. The only loss came against Sri Lanka in a home series which India won 2-1 eventually.
  
  

  

• India have 13-5 record since 2014 beginning, the best: Since January 2014, India's win-loss record against the top 10 teams in T20 is 13-5, the best among all teams. New Zealand with a 10-7 record come second followed by South Africa (11-9), Australia and the West Indies (9-8).
  
  
• Second-best batting average: India have the second-best batting average (31.54) after South Africa (32.34) since January 2014. The next best is the West Indies who are trailing quite a bit (24.54).
  
  
• Best bowling average and economy rate: In bowling, India are the only team with an average below 20 and the best economy rate of less than 7.5 since January 2014. The Kiwis have the next best bowling average (20.65) and economy rate (7.71).
  
  
• Indian spinners have done best among all teams: India's spinners have also done exceedingly well in T20 since January 2014. They have taken 66 wickets so far at an average of 19.66 and economy rate of 6.5 with Ravichandran Ashwin grabbing 31 of them. Ravindra Jadeja has chipped in with 16 scalps. The pacers have taken 46 wickets in the same period, ranking just above Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
  
  
• India have scored the second-best runs but best average: Run-wise, India have scored 1,738 runs in 18 matches since January 2014 at an average of 38.62. This is the second best after South Africa (1,801 runs though with a lesser average of 33.98).
  
  
• Indians have scored the most number of 30-plus scores: The Indian batsmen also scored the most number of 30+ scores in the 18 matches played since January 2014. New Zealand and South Africa come a joint second with 24 scores of above 30. India have also scored 16 scores of above 50 of which 15 have come from the bats of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The remaining one was scored by Shikhar Dhawan.

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