The World Twenty20 is the product of the modern era in cricket. T20 was launched in 2003 to boost attendances and interest levels in the English county game, but few could have expected the format to take over quite as much as it has. The first international match took place in 2005 – between Australia and New Zealand – and there are various domestic leagues that have been set up all over the world, most notably the Indian Premier League, which is as much about the money as it is about the cricket.

In 2007, the first World Twenty20 was held, and was a breath of fresh air. The 50-over World Cup earlier in the year had been a disaster, with dead games, crowds muted by overzealous officials, farcical administration and a ridiculous six-week format. The World T20 in South Africa was completed in 13 days and won by India, a country that had previously been skeptical of this new idea. There were shocks. Bangladesh knocked out the West Indies in the group stage and the hosts fell in the Super Eight stage. We were treated to a showpiece final featuring old rivals India and Pakistan, and India won the trophy in the last over. There was no doubt that the World T20 would be a regular event from then on.

The International Cricket Council decided that the World T20 should take place every two years, instead of the four years we often see between international tournaments. Twenty20 came home in 2009 with England playing host. There was plenty of drama here too. Ireland edged out Bangladesh to make it to the second round. England were beaten in the opening game by the Netherlands but recovered to make it through. Australia were dumped out at the first hurdle having lost both of their group games – the beginning of what was to be a miserable summer with the Ashes to be taken off them later on. The holders, India, lost all three of their Super Eight games. England lost to the West Indies in a rain-affected match to crash out at the Super Eights again. The final once again featured two Asian sides – this time it was Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Pakistan made up for their failure two years before by winning the final by eight wickets.

Cricket is not the most organised of sports, and just ten months after Pakistan had won the World Twenty20 at Lord’s, the top cricketing nations were gathered in the Caribbean to do battle once more. This was a result of the need to correct the cricket calendar. The ICC Champions Trophy – “the mini World Cup” – had been postponed in 2008 because of security concerns in the host country of Pakistan and it was decided to make the 2010 event into the World T20, in order to create a two year gap between the 20 over and 50 over tournaments. This one will live long in the memory of supporters over here as it was won, perhaps surprisingly, by England. There were no particular shocks in the group stages, but the tournament was given a boost by the introduction to top level cricket of Afghanistan. Once again, India were defeated in all three of their Super Eight matches to be sent home, but there was a familiar line up in the final with old enemies England and Australia taking to the Barbados pitch. England won by seven wickets, to take their first ever ICC event.

So, more than two years after England’s triumph in the Caribbean, the team are about to defend their title in the 2012 World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka. The format matches the 2010 edition. Who can we expect to flourish in this one?

Group A

England: the champions, but not the favourites going in. It’s been a difficult summer for the England cricket team with the Kevin Pietersen saga, who was not selected in the squad on the back of the drama. That will be a loss but they do often seem to just get it right when it comes to Twenty20, and could pull off a surprise. I think semi-finals.

India: need to get back on track in this tournament after poor showings in the last two. They will feel more at home in the Sri Lankan conditions, but I don’t think they’ve got enough to win the whole thing. For me, semi-finals.

Afghanistan: much will be made of the remarkable achievement in just getting an Afghanistan team to the tournament with all the troubles the country has faced in the past decade, but they won’t be looking for sympathy. They will be aiming for an upset. I can’t see them getting one though, and so it has to be the group stages for them.

Group B

Australia: when they crashed out of the 2009 tournament having lost all their group games, captain Ricky Ponting made it sound as if the format was not at the forefront of Australia’s priorities. That changed in the West Indies, though, when they made the final. They’ve got plenty of power players and they could well go far. I think they might just make the final.

West Indies: you never know what to expect from the West Indies. They are capable of brilliance but at the same time able to play some utterly dire cricket. To pull anything off here they’ll have to be on top form. Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard are capable of huge sixes, but the conditions might not favour them. Let’s see them make the Super Eights.

Ireland: the Irish are the dominant force in associate level cricket, and have impressed in the last two 50-over World Cups, also making the Super Eights of the last World T20. Sadly I can’t see them getting out of this group, so it might just be group stages for the Blarney Army.

Group C

Sri Lanka: the hosts are pretty good at this form of the game and have that added advantage of playing in familiar conditions in familiar surrounding. The 2009 finalists will, in my opinion, join Australia in the final.

South Africa: the new no.1 side in Test cricket, but have never quite excelled in Twenty20. They’ve got some great players but I don’t think they can be consistent enough to win here. It’s the Super Eights for the Proteas.

Zimbabwe: after international exile Zimbabwe are slowly making their way towards a return to Test cricket, but they are in such a tough group here it is hard to see them doing anything. They’ll be gone in the group stages.

Group D

Pakistan: the winners in 2009 will enjoy the conditions in Sri Lanka. They do, however, always seem one game away from an embarrassment and I fear that could happen here. So it’s a Super Eights exit for me.

New Zealand: a very good side, but always the bridesmaid never the bride in big tournaments. I think they’ll struggle with the Asian conditions and end up crashing out in the Super Eights.

Bangladesh: the Bangladeshis might well fancy an upset against New Zealand, but I can’t see them getting out of this group. Group stages.

According to my predictions, we’ll be seeing Sri Lanka play in a home final against Australia. It’s a real tough one to call. Home advantage can only count for so much and Australia have looked increasingly good in Twenty20 over the last year or so. I think I might just give Australia the nod to add the World Twenty20 to their collection of ICC trophies.

As with the European football championships earlier this year, sport has a tournament that will hold interest and a format short enough to keep spectators wanting more. So what does the governing body do? Announce their intention to expand the tournament next time around to increase the number of dead group games and add to the number of thrashings handed out to inexperienced associate sides by Test playing giants. That’s right, the 2014 World Twenty20 in Bangladesh will feature 16 teams.

The 2012 World Twenty20 starts on Tuesday 18th September.