PLAYERS TO WATCH
K L Rahul, India T20s record: Matches 45, Runs 1,557, Average 39.92, Strike rate 142.1
K L Rahul has been in great form in IPL 2021. Though Punjab Kings didn’t make the playoffs, he finished the season with 626 runs from 13 matches averaging 62.60 and securing the Orange Cap in the league stage.
The Indian opener has been scoring heavily in the recent past, including the England tour. He’s likely to open the innings, and the right-handed batsman from Karnataka can provide Team India good starts with his solid shot-making skills.
Liam Livingstone, England
T20s record: Matches 8, Runs 206, Average 34.33, Strike rate 167.47
Liam Livingstone may have represented England in the T20s only on eight occasions, but he has made most of the opportunities to make the World Cup squad. The big-hitting right-hander has featured in T20 competitions across the globe and was named the Most Valuable Player of the inaugural ‘Hundred’ competition in England.
He also had a good run in Australia’s Big Bash League for Perth Scorchers, where he amassed 426 runs in 14 matches. In the T20 Blast, Livingstone hit 94 not out from just 58 balls to inspire Lancashire to victory over Derbyshire.
Josh Inglish, Australia
T20s record: Matches 63, Runs 1,645, Average 32.9, Strike rate 151.6
The uncapped English-born wicketkeeperbatsman’s inclusion in the Australian squad might have come as a surprise, but the 26-year-old has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in T20 cricket.
Inglish made an immediate impact in the 2021 Vitality Blast for Leicestershire, scoring the most runs (531) in England’s domestic T20 competition. He also impressed in the home event, the Big Bash League.
Babar Azam, Pakistan
T20s record: Matches 61, Runs 2,204 runs, Average 46.89, Strike rate 130.64
Babar Azam is one of the finest players from Pakistan. Given his consistency (he’s never averaged less than 37 in a calendar year) at the top of the order, Pakistan will rely heavily on their skipper to carry the batting.
The 27-year-old is ranked second on the ICC T20I batsmen rankings and has amassed 20 half-centuries in the game’s shortest format. He also became the fastest to score 7,000 runs in T20 cricket, beating Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle.
Tabraiz Shamsi, South Africa
T20s record: Matches 42, Wickets 49, Average 21.63, Economy rate 6.79
Despite being known for his antics on the ground, no batsman would dare to take the Proteas left-arm wrist-spinner Tabriaz Shamsi lightly. Being the highest-ranked T20I bowler in the world, Shamsi has carved a niche for himself in the past year and a half.
He has picked up 28 wickets in 17 T20I matches this year, more than any other bowler. With teams in the UAE looking out for wrist spinners, Shamsi can play a stellar role for South Africa.
Nicholas Pooran, West Indies
T20s record: Matches 34, Runs 634, Average 22.6, Strike Right 124
Nicholas Pooran’s success in franchise cricket, especially in the 2020 Indian Premier League, makes him an impact player for the Caribbean team. His powerful hits sail over the ropes with much ease.
The West Indies’ vice-captain could not replicate his previous season’s success in this year’s IPL and ended up with 85 runs at an average of 7.72 playing for Punjab Kings. Pooran says it’s just a blip, and it would not affect his performance in the World Cup.
Devon Conway, New Zealand
T20s record: Matches 11, Runs 473, Average 59.1, Strike Rate 151.1
The Johannesburg-born Kiwi has had a remarkable run within a short span. Besides a Test double-century and an ODI century despite having played only three games, Devon Conway has an exceptional T20 record. His T20I batting average of 59.1 is the highest for a New Zealander and the highest for any player who has batted more than five innings.
Conway’s T20 international experience has been limited to New Zealand pitches, so it will be interesting to see how he copes in the UAE.