Al Jazeera picks cricket’s brightest youngsters who could make their mark at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.
The world’s biggest sporting events are known for highlighting the stars who dominate the game, but they also serve as a platform to discover the sport’s brightest young talent.
There are some cricketers who entered the ICC T20 World Cup as relative unknowns but left pundits and fans in awe of their skills and potential at the end of the tournament.
Think, Shakib al-Hasan and Mohammad Amir in the 2009 T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli in the 2012 edition and Wanindu Hasaranga in 2022.
Here is Al Jazeera’s list of five youngsters who could light up the 2024 edition of the tournament:
Yashasvi Jaiswal: India
Arguably India’s brightest young cricketer last year, Jaiswal proved his worth in both the longest and shortest formats of the game. While the 23-year-old’s rags-to-riches story may have endeared him to fans, it was his batting and fearless approach towards the game that brought him into the limelight.
A year after making his T20 international debut, Jaiswal scored over 500 runs in 17 matches at an impressive average of 33.4 and a high strike rate of 161. He even managed to score a T20I century to complete his four half -fields. centuries.
The top-order batsman will certainly open the innings for India with their experienced captain Rohit Sharma. And if India are to win the second T20 title that has eluded them in 17 years, a good chunk of their runs could come from Jaiswal’s bat.
Saim Ayub: Pakistan
In a country known for encouraging young players, Saim’s introduction to international cricket came relatively late. The left-handed batsman played his first T20I at the age of 21 last year but failed to establish his feet in the playing XI. This is partly due to his form as well as Pakistan’s reluctance to break the early bond between Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.
Saim comes into the T20 World Cup with plenty of experience playing in the West Indies, where he won the T20 Caribbean Premier League 2023 with his Guyana Amazon Warriors franchise. Saim’s 52 points were the highest individual score in the final and he finished the season second in the batting charts.
Although the starter has been unable to replicate his success in his home country, his ability to hit unconventional shots, offer a possible left-right opening combination and experience of playing in the region could make him a standout player for the champions. 2009.
Will Jacks: England
Jacks made his international debut for England in 2022 as an off-spinner, but goes into the T20 World Cup best known for his batting skills thanks to his recent success with the bat in the Indian Premier League.
The 25-year-old all-rounder averaged 33 with an impressive strike rate of 175 in his eight matches with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He then followed it up with 57 runs in two matches in England’s recent T20 series against Pakistan.
Coming in to bat in the crucial position, Jacks will provide England with stability and powerful batting options as they look to win a record third T20 World Cup.
Matheesha Pathirana: Sri Lanka
Pathirana comes from the Lasith Malinga school of fast and low bowling and has the guru’s backing.
“Matheesha, without fear you can bring him in the last stages of an innings,” Malinga said in an interview with ESPNCricinfo. “Her biggest weapons are her pace and her yorker, but the biggest thing I see in Matheesha is her big heart.”
The 21-year-old has 28 wickets in his 18 international matches for Sri Lanka, but his recent performance in the IPL has also helped boost his stock. Apart from his 13 wickets in six games, it is his low economy rate, average and strike rate that has made him a standout player.
The young gun could be Sri Lanka’s main weapon with the ball.
Rishad Hossain: Bangladesh
Hossain is not as well known in the international cricket arena but has quietly built a reputation as a miserly all-rounder who can also get his side over the line with the bat.
The tall leggie has taken 15 wickets in his 17 T20s but at an economy rate of 7, making him a rare commodity in the blockbuster format of T20s.
The 21-year-old from Rangpur in northwestern Bangladesh could find plenty of assistance on the slow Caribbean pitches and could end up charting Bangladesh’s path to the knockout stages of the tournament.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
