The IPL 2022 season has almost come to an end. This time around there have been several young national and international players who have been mighty impressive. The ICC T20 World Cup is also around the corner and all the national teams are looking for impactful individuals. The T20 format is the shortest format of the game and it can swing in any team’s favor within a matter of a few overs. The teams in that case just require an impact player who can perform and win games in these crunch situations. Here is a quick look at the 5 players to watch out for at ICC T20 World Cup 2022 to be held in Australia:
Wanindu Hasaranga will play for Sri Lanka at the ICC T20 World Cup:
Wanindu Hasaranga has been the talk of the town in the IPL. The RCB management was initially trolled for spending 10.75 Crores on Wanindu at the IPL 2022 Mega Auction. But with every ball that he has bowled, Hasaranga has proved that the price tag has been rightly associated with him. Hasaranga has a good wrong one. It is difficult to differentiate between his stock ball and the googly. He is hard to pick. He also has a delivery called the flipper. At times he also looks to beat the batsmen in the air. He has been very highly rated by the ICC. Hasaranga is the face of change for the struggling Sri Lankan team. It is a team that was severely struggling after legends like Sanga and Mahela left but now it looks like they are on the verge of a resurgence.
Shaheen Shah Afridi will play for Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup:
Shaheen Shah Afridi is currently the best white-ball bowler without a doubt. He belongs to the batch of Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, the ones that played the U-19 World Cup in Australia in 2018. Afridi was fast-tracked to the national team when bowlers like Mohammad Amir and Hasan Ali were struggling. Ever since Afridi has taken the cricket world by storm. His performance against India in the last ICC T20 World Cup game is enough to prove his mettle. He rattled the Indian top-order by his in-swinging deliveries. He made KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma look helpless. Shaheen consistently bowls at 145 clicks and this makes him more deadly.
Suryakumar Yadav will play for India at the ICC T20 World Cup:
Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian “Mike Hussey” has a lot to offer to team India and international cricket. It is very unfortunate that he was drafted into the national team very late at the age of 30 but that doesn’t overshadow his talent in any way or form. He has been exceptional in the past 3 to 4 years in the IPL. He has been consistently scoring 400 to 500 runs every season. Surya also has the backing of Indian captain Rohit Sharma. SKY was picked for the World Cup team in 2021 but he got limited opportunities and that too against mediocre teams.
His time to rise has come and he has what it takes to go the distance. He has won the big games for the Mumbai Indians and it is about time he does the dame for team India. Surya can play 360 degrees. He also has an illustrious cover drive and deals well with the short-ball.
Liam Livingstone:
A complete package for the shortest format of the game, Liam Livingstone is a good ideal for all the young players. Livingstone is a team man. He can bat up the order of play as a finisher. He can ball off-spin to the left-handers and leg-spin to the right-handers. His fielding skills are exceptional too. Liam Livingstone has been the top freelance cricketer in the shorter format all across the globe. He has taken his six-hitting ability to a new level.
Of the top 10 longest sixes in IPL 2022, Liam Livingstone’s name features 5 times on the list. So, his sixes are not just sixes but they are monstrous. His sixes can dent a bowler’s confidence. The ideal position for Livingstone however could be at number 4 or number 5 in the England national team. He is also a good ambassador for the “slam-bang” style of cricket that England has played in recent years.
Honorable Mentions:
- Lockie Ferguson: New Zealand
- Rassie Van Der Dussen: South Africa
- Fazalhaq Farooqi: Afghanistan
Mitchell Marsh:
Mitchell Marsh is the most improved cricketer of recent times. If any payer comes closer in terms of improvement it will be India’s Deepak Hooda. But Mitchell Marsh has already won a T20 World Cup for Australia. He will be keen on defending the title for his team. His performance in the final will never be forgotten. Mitchell Marsh is a big match player. He comes to the party when it matters the most.
Marsh has been in and out of the field of late with a niggle. But whenever he gets an opportunity, he makes an impact. His recent scores of 89 and 50+ for the Delhi Capitals have got the Capitals closer to qualification. He single-handedly won them the past two games. The ideal position for him is at number 4 or 3. He cannot bat below that. He is a replacement for Shane Watson and he must be used like Watson was.
To know more go to the official website of the ICC.
To read more such articles go to ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Top 5 Fast Bowlers for Indian Cricket Team.
To read more such articles go to ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Top 5 Middle-Order Batters for Indian Cricket Team.