ICC T20 World Cup is the biggest stage for any cricketer to start his T20 international career. Not every player is lucky enough to receive an opportunity to play his first T20I match for his nation at the ICC T20 WC. This mega event began in the year 2007, and so far, there have been six editions of the competition.
Quite a few big names of world cricket have been a part of the ICC T20 WC in the last 14 years. Currently, the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup is happening in the UAE and Oman. Roston Chase recently made his T20I debut for the West Indies team in their T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh. Before him, 135 players started their T20I careers at the ICC T20 WC, and here is a strong playing XI comprising such cricketers.
Openers – Gautam Gambhir and Evin Lewis
Gautam Gambhir and Evin Lewis will open the innings for this team. Gambhir played his T20I career’s first match against Pakistan in the group stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2007. Nine years later, Evin Lewis started his T20I career for the West Indies at the biggest stage.
Gambhir and Evin have contrasting batting styles. While Gambhir knows how to play the anchor’s role and pace his innings well, Lewis can hit the ball hard right from the word go. Both left-handed batters have achieved success in the shortest format of the game.
Middle Order – Rohit Sharma, Tatenda Taibu (wk) and Eoin Morgan (c)
Rohit Sharma is in the middle order of this team because he made his T20I debut for India as a middle-order batter in the 2007 edition of the T20 World Cup. Sharma is the only Indian cricketer who won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 and is playing in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Zimbabwean wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu is one of the few wicket-keepers to have made their debut at the ICC T20 WC. Taibu was one of the best players for his country. Eoin Morgan will lead this team. Morgan has proven himself as a fantastic leader. The southpaw can also destroy any bowling attack when in form.
All-rounders – JP Duminy, Yuvraj Singh and Angelo Mathews
JP Duminy is present in the Top 5 of the batters with the best batting average in ICC T20 World Cups. Duminy was a great asset for South Africa. Yuvraj Singh had started his T20I career at the T20 World Cup as well. Singh smashed six sixes in an over of Stuart Broad during the 2007 WC.
Angelo Mathews completes the all-rounders’ section. Mathews is a pace-bowling all-rounder who has a great record against Team India.
Bowlers – Morne Morkel, Mohammed Shami and Daniel Vettori
Morne Morkel and Mohammed Shami will lead the pace attack. Two Indian fast bowlers made their T20I debut at T20 World Cup 2014, and one of them was Shami. He is one of the top pacers in the world right now.
Former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori is the lead spinner of this team. Vettori made his T20I debut in the 2007 T20 WC and bowled a match-winning spell versus India in the Super 8s.
