The ICC T20 World Cup 2022 has created a big buzz in the international circuit. The recent games are test matches or ODIs but the most valuable thing up for grabs this year is the T20I World Cup in Australia. The tournament will feature the 12 top teams on the global stage and will feature many amazing batters. The T20 leagues across the globe have helped in the growth of this format. So, many players who haven’t played in the global leagues like the IPL or BBL will also be seen in the ICC T20 World Cup. Here is an in-depth look at the top 10 batters to watch out for at the World Cup. These are players who are expected to rise in the ranks:
**Rohit Sharma, Kane Williamson, Ben Stokes, and Steve Smith are not considered as they do very well in every tournament**
10) Nicholas Pooran will lead the West Indies at the ICC T20 World Cup:
Nicholas Pooran is a different player when he plays for the West Indies. The nationalism brings out a more responsible player in him. Nicholas comes to bat up the order at number 3 or number 4 and rules the games. His performance in TATA IPL 2022 was decent. It was above average.
Nicholas cannot bat below 3 or 4 because he is a player who can take the game away if he set. He needs his time at times. His 3 consecutive 50s against India in the recently concluded series speak volumes of his talent. Nicholas has fought in his personal life. He met with an accident in 2017. The severe accident had almost forced him to take early retirement. But this star player fought through all odds and is the captain of the West Indies team right now.
He has played several leagues all over the globe and has a good experience. He has the proper West Indian muscle power and also has the elegance of Brian Lara. He is a classy batsman. The West Indies team management needs to use his potential to the fullest.
9) Charith Asalanka:
The chariot of Sri Lankan Cricket is currently carried ahead by Asalanka. He was exceptional in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and has risen through the ranks. He is a rock in the Sri Lankan middle-order. His presence has assured the resurgence of Sri Lankan cricket.
His recent performance at the international level gives a sense of reliability with his batting. He doesn’t have any evident weaknesses. Charith plays spin very well. The Sri Lankan team doesn’t have any special player or a player who is in the limelight. But if players like Charith, Pathum Nissanka, Dhananjay De Silva, and Rajapaksha bat decently well, Sri Lankan can be contenders.
The team has the bowling lineup sorted. Their batting now is in the hands of Charith and looks safe too. He averages 27 at a strike rate of 132. He also has a decent experience of playing 70 to 80 T20 league games.
8) David Miller will play for RSA at the ICC T20 World Cup:
David Miller is the senior-most player in the RSA batting unit. After the departure of Faf Du Plessis, it seems that David has found his old touch. He has started batting with more responsibility. The TATA IPL 2022 season might have helped him gain some confidence. David scored 460+ runs this season and ended in the top 6 run-getters. He single-handedly won the game against CSK and the qualifier-1 for the Gujarat Titans.
David has always been a solid batter and has performed once in a while. He significantly lacked consistency but that looks sorted right now. He times the ball like no other batter. When you bowl in his arc, David hits it over mid-wicket for six. He has improved his off-side game as well.
7) Martin Guptill:
Marin Guptill is very under-rated. He is on the list of top run-scorers in all of T20Is. Guptill has a world of experience in his bag. He has been with the New Zealand team from the inception of this format. Unfortunately, this star player doesn’t get an IPL contract easily. He has never found a comfort zone with any of the teams. On his day, Guptill can take games away from the lion’s mouth.
Guptill is one of the fiercest openers. He piles on the pain from the first over itself. His cover drive and short-arm jab are a treat to watch. He whacks the pacers over mid-on for sixes. His elite performance in the 2015 ODI World Cup will never be forgotten.
6) Rassie Van Der Dussen will play for RSA at the ICC T20 World Cup:
Rassie Van Der Dussen is not in the limelight but is a champion player. Rassie has toiled through the lower ranks of South African domestic cricket and has earned his spot on the SA team. RVDD is now one of the most reliable batters for RSA. He and David Miller form the strong core of batting.
His numbers are unreal. Rassie average 40.01 in T20s at a strike rate of 135! Now, this speaks volumes of potential. The sample size is 30+ T20Is but it is enough to speak about his skill-set. Rassie recently played one of the most splendid knocks of his career. He took the game away from the Indians in the second T20I.
5) Babar Azam:
Babar Azam is the “Mr. Dependable” for Pakistan. His performance has turned the “Fab 4” into “Fab 5”. Babar will also be leading Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. Ever since the transition occurred from Misbah to Babar, the performance of the Pakistan team has improved. The team has started playing a different brand of cricket.
Azam needs no introduction. He has played every other T20 league across the globe except for the IPL for obvious reasons. His numbers are unmatched. It will be great to see how effectively Babar can deal with the extra pace and extra bounce that the Australian wickets have to offer.
4) Liam Livingstone will play for England at the ICC T20 World Cup:
Liam Livingstone has set the stage on fire. Livingstone has taken range-hitting to a new level altogether. He, as I have written earlier is a complete T20 package. Livingstone is the 3D player that we have been talking about.
Liam is electric on the field. He jumps and dives like a cat. With the ball in hand, he bowls leg-spin and off-spin as well. A total T20 package, Liam is a threat with the bat. It will be great to see how Eoin Morgan uses him. The ideal position for Liam to bat is at number 4 or number 5. Below that he is a wasted commodity. Liam can also be used as a floater. The way to deal with this is that after the 7th over if a wicket falls, you send Liam to bat in.
3) Glenn Maxwell/ Mitchell Marsh:
The Australian team today has two of the best all-rounders on the planet in the form of Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh. It will be great to see how the defending champions make use of them. It will be ideal for Mitchell Marsh to bat number 3 and for Maxi to bat number 4. Glenn has found a comfort zone batting at number 4. He has scored 2 T20I hundreds at that position.
Maxwell has done very well whenever he has batted up the order. He plays the spinners very well when he pulls out his sweep and reverse sweep. Mitchell Marsh on the other hand has already delivered. He was the reason why Australia won the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. He played exceptionally well in the knockout games. His injury management is the key for the Australian national team.
2) Mohammad Rizwan will play for Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup:
If there is a key to success for the Pakistan team apart from Babar Azam, it is Mohammad Rizwan. Rizwan has been on the top of his game since 2020. Before that, the Pakistan team was genuinely struggling. The dynamic duo of Rizwan and Azam won the game for Pakistan against India at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Rizwan likes it when the ball comes onto the bat and this is exactly what the pitches in Australia have to offer. He has the skill to deal with the extra bounce as well. Playing in different T20 leagues has helped him gain a lot of experience.
Honorable Mentions:
- 1) Liton Das
- 2) Suryakumar Yadav
- 3) Najibullah Zadran
1) Virat Kohli will play for India at the ICC T20 World Cup:
Virat Kohli in all other tournaments and Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cups are two different players. Virat Kohli averages 76.89 in the ICC T20 World Cup. He had a dream tournament in 2014 and emulated the same in 2016. He was the lone fighter in the India VS Pakistan match in 2021.
Virat has set a different standard for himself. His knock against Australia in Mohali in the 2016 edition will never be forgotten. Virat Kohli and his skills need no introduction. Because he is having a lean patch in his career, it will be critical to see how he performs on the global stage. He has carried the burden of 1.3 billion Indian dreams and has done well, so this time around as well, we can expect the same.
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To know more go to the official website of the T20 World Cup.