Pre-tournament buzz pegged Australia as unbeatable under Marsh, yet reality bit hard. Zimbabwe handed them a one-sided defeat, and Sri Lanka romped home by 8 wickets. Without Hazlewood and Cummins, pacers leaked runs freely. Chasing down 182, Sri Lanka barely broke a sweat.

T20 specialists like David, Green, Maxwell, and Stoinis battted like amateurs, their failures amplifying bowling woes. The Kangaroos’ attack lacked bite, allowing rivals to dominate from the outset.

Pakistan’s tournament opener against Netherlands was a close shave, but India exposed their batting fragility. Farhan stood out, but Babar Azam and others bombed. Inconsistent top order plagued their group campaign.

Ireland hoped for glory under Sterling but won only once against Oman. Their batsmen folded in every other clash, lacking depth and firepower.

England squeaked into Super 8 despite wobbles—a near-upset by Nepal and batting woes against West Indies. Buttler, Brook, Salt disappointed, and Archer’s return fizzled. For these teams, the group stage was a rude wake-up call ahead of tougher tests.