There are people who say T20 World Cup rules were not fair, India won four out of their five matches but could not make it to semi-finals while West Indies who had two victories out five made it to semi-finals. They are wrong.
In the first round every group had three teams and two could go to the next round i.e., Super 8. Once the teams made it Super 8, victories in the first round did not count. In Super 8 India won two matches, lost one match, so also Australia and Pakistan. South Africa lost all three matches in Super 8. India, Pakistan and Australia had four points each. On the basis of net run rate Pakistan and Australia made it to semi-finals. India was in a favourable position as its match against South Africa was the last one in Super 8 and knew what to do to make it to semi-finals. India failed to achieve that. India’s loss to Australia was a huge one and that made a difference in net run rate.
West Indies did not play any full match in first round. The match against Australia was marred by rain and Australia were declared winners based on Duckworth-Lewis rules. The match against Ireland was a wash out. Ireland had lost to Australia. West Indies made it to Super 8 on net run rate. They could have won both matches.
In Super 8, West Indies won against England by 15 runs, lost to Sri Lanka by 9 wickets, won against New Zealand in super over. So in Super 8 they won two matches and lost one match. In semi-final they won against Australia by 74 runs and in final against Sri Lanka by 36 runs.
New Zealand lost two matches in super overs in Super 8, one to Sri Lanka, one to West Indies. Both Sri Lanka and West Indies made it to final. Now some want to split points if a match is tied in a non-knock out match, instead of deciding the winner in super over. New Zealand coach Michael Hesson said “I can’t work out why, in a non-elimination game, you have to have a super over. I’ve never worked that out.” In football and hockey, points are split if a group match ends in a draw. There is no harm in doing away with super overs in group matches in T20. But what would have been the reaction if New Zealand had won one match and lost another or won both matches?