T20 World Cup 2024: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rachin Ravindra among top five youngsters to watch out in upcoming world cup. Checkout the rest of the youngsters.
With just a few weeks to go before the beginning of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, the excitement is at its peak. The tournament will offer all 20 teams a great stage to showcase their skills as a unit.
A few players, who have impressed with their talent and expertise by now, will take part in their maiden T20 World Cup. Those will have the opportunity to make a name for themselves in the major tournament.
Here are the top five youngsters to watch out for in the T20 World Cup 2024
Yashasvi Jaiswal
One of the most thrilling players of world cricket at the moment is India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-handed opener has shown his immense ability to whack the bowlers from the very first over. Even his insane prowess of playing in all corners of the park has raised him to a different standard.
In just 16 T20I innings, the 22-year-old has notched up 502 runs at a strike rate of 161.93. He also managed four fifties, while his only T20I century so far, came against Nepal in Hangzhou in 49 balls.
Jaiswal will be a key asset for India in the opening position. He could damage the opposition team in the powerplay with his innovative shots. In the previous Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, the youngster nailed 625 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 163.61. Even in this ongoing IPL 2024, he has smashed 344 runs so far at a strike rate of 153.57.
If India aim to earn success with the bat in the upcoming event, they need Yashasvi Jaiswal to come with a few fire-crackers.
Rachin Ravindra
The excellent New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has already made his name on the biggest stage in the last ODI World Cup 2023. He has shown his aggressive nature of power-hitting in the first six overs. Ravindra has collected 214 T20I runs in 18 innings at a strike rate of 133.75 with one half-century.
As an all-rounder, he could also deliver a couple of overs of left-arm spin if required. The 24-year-old began his IPL career in a stunning mode, before falling terribly towards the middle of the season. In nine innings, Ravindra has managed only 161 runs. But he has maintained a strike rate of nearly 160.
On the slow surfaces of the West Indies, Ravindra’s technique of playing spin could be beneficial for the Black Caps.
Matheesha Pathirana
In a perfect world, Matheesha Pathirana would be one of the most valuable T20 bowlers of the current generation. With a slingy action, he comes quite late in the innings and mainly bowls the lion’s share of his overs toward the back end. That’s his job in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team during the IPL. It remains to be seen if it will be the same under the leadership of Wanindu Hasaranga.
Pathirana’s T20I career accounts for 11 wickets in six innings at an economy of 9.55. This may not be impressive but his recent IPL 2024 record that accounts for 13 wickets at an economy of 7.68, before returning home with injury, is exceptional.
Pathirana’s main weapon in recent times has been the firing yorker. Besides that, he can fox the batters with his slower ball and the length ball going wide of the batters. What Pathirana also brings to the table is his immense experience of already sharing the dressing room with experienced players. He could be one of the key members for Sri Lanka in the world event.
Noor Ahmad
Afghanistan keep on producing quality spinners. Another inclusion in the list is Noor Ahmad. The Chainaman bowler has shown consistency in his bowling. He doesn’t have a long T20I career with six wickets at an economy of 7.90. But Noor’s skill of holding a consistent line while deploying his variations, make him a perfect bowler.
The 19-year-old has experience of playing in various leagues around the world. In 93 T20s, Noor has picked up 96 scalps at an economy of 7.40. With a few slow surfaces expected during the T20 World Cup, Afghanistan could be a challenging side. It won’t be that easy to tackle Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb ur Rahman and co.
Dunith Wellalage
Dunith Wellalage, one of the upcoming spin all-rounders of Sri Lanka burst into the scene in the 2023 Asia Cup. The left-hander’s journey took a significant step when he was appointed the captain of Sri Lanka in the 2022 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in the West Indies.
Wellalage ended up with 264 runs in six innings, besides becoming the leading wicket-taker of the competition with 17 scalps. This shows how much he knows the condition, and enjoys both departments of the game on those tracks.
Even though he doesn’t have any T20Is under his belt, the 21-year-old has featured in a few T20s. In 31 innings of the shortest format, Wellalage has notched up 34 wickets at an economy of 7.01. He could be a trump card for Sri Lanka in the tournament, with both bat and ball.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will begin on June 2. USA will host Canada at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas in the opening fixture.
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