For anyone wishing to back ‘domestic’ or little-known youth players as potential top-scoring batsmen, it is important to be aware of the economic imperative behind these matches. Yes, these players are often very talented, yes the structure of the competition insists they must be included in the final eleven, BUT they aren’t the terribly expensive players the crowd has come along to see AND they will probably be third choice batsmen and not trusted to bowl. Yes they’ll play, but sadly they’ll generally be on the pitch to field. If they do get a chance to bat, no matter how much potential they have to win a match, they might only face five balls. Some of these players look potentially very good, but the stark reality is they’ll not be given much of a chance to prove it. Sorry, but there it is. I hope one of them steals the limelight, but the bookies know the reality and will be happy to take those long-odds bets. However, if anyone is foolish enough to offer Pathan, Sharma, Einstein, Badrinath or Shah at 200/1, remember that in 20/20 cricket, pretty much anything can happen.

By Adam Corres,

Author of Raffles and the Match-Fixing Syndicate, the guide to cricket gamesmanship.