T20 World Cup 2024: Virat Kohli, David Warner among the Top five batters to watch out in upcoming world cup. All five batters have played over 100 T20Is, having average over 30 and strike rate above 138+.
As soon as the 2-month extravaganza of IPL finally draws curtains on May 26, the fervent fans amicably gear up for yet another ICC event within a span of 7 months. And, the anticipation is hitting the zenith. The spectacle of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in the vivid lands of beaches - West Indies and the USA, is all set to begin from June 2 where 20 teams will sweat it out for the elusive trophy.
The T20 format is heavily inclined in favour of the batters as they throw away all the caution to the wind and try to smash boundaries and sixes in almost every delivery unlike other longer formats. The Walking Wicket team presents five batters to watch out for as they embark on this exhilarating journey to bring their teams the much-awaited glory.
Virat Kohli (India)
Keeping aside all the fresh debates hovering around Virat Kohli’s strike rate (SR) and the role of an anchor in the T20 format being outdated, he remains one of India’s best bets for lifting a T20 World Cup trophy.
Virat Kohli also has some stellar stats in the T20 World Cup. Apart from being the format’s highest run-accumulator, he is also the leading run-scorer in T20 World Cup matches with 1141 runs under his belt in 25 innings at a SR of 131.30. The cricketer stood meteoric during India’s previous T20 World Cup heist in Australia in 2022, where he tallied 296 runs in just six innings, being the highest run getter of the tournament. He was awarded the Player of the Tournament in 2014 and 2016 T20 World Cup editions.
Kohli is currently leading the Orange Cup race with 708 runs in 14 innings in IPL 2024. His SR has also significantly enhanced to 155.60 in this edition compared to previous editions. However, his T20 career SR stands around 130.
Hailed as the run machine, Kohli’s ability to perform under pressure makes him a legend in the world of cricket. He flourishes well in situations where the game’s outcome hangs in the balance, showcasing remarkable composure and gritty mental strength. His significant upgradation in SR and execution of better shots against leg spinners in 2024 IPL season shows his constant hunger towards improving his game.
David Warner (Australia)
The 37-year-old Australian left-handed batter David Warner has earned a reputation for being one of the most explosive and attacking openers, consistently hitting runs in modern-day cricket.
Talking about his performance in T20 World Cups, he has played 34 matches scoring 806 runs at a SR of 133.22. His attacking style of play and good form with the bat was one of the prime reasons why Australia lifted the 2021 T20 World Cup for which he was awarded the Player of the Tournament.
He didn’t have a great outing in the 2024 IPL edition as he could amass only 168 runs in 8 matches striking at 134.40.
Warner gives the team a brisk start in the powerplay overs and also his ability to switch in between anchor and aggressor makes him one of the most dangerous batters to deal with. Very strong against pace, he loves pace on the ball and has a great hand-eye coordination. He has got both strong offside and legside hitting ability while playing on both ends of the pitch, a rare trait found in very few batters.
Rohit Sharma (India)
The current leader of the Indian cricket team, Rohit Sharma, will look to make amends for the heartbreaking ICC World Cup 2023. He will inspire the team towards the ambiguous glory with his impeccable leadership skills and selfless hard-hitting abilities.
Across the previous editions of the T20 World Cup, he has played 36 games scoring 963 runs, striking at 127.9. He currently has the second highest number of sixes (35) in T20 World Cups, only trailing behind Chris Gayle (63).
Rohit Sharma ended his IPL 2024 journey on a high note scoring 68(38) against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Mumbai Indians’ (MI) final league game showing glimpses of him returning to form just at the stroke of the upcoming T20 World Cup. He scored 407 runs in 14 innings at a healthy SR of 150 in this year’s IPL edition.
Rohit is one of the most naturally gifted and fearless batters in world cricket today. He scores big once he gets going as he is a natural stroke-player. His monstrous shot-playing ability and power differentiates him from many of his fellow batters in the game.
Read More: T20 WC 2024: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rachin Ravindra among top five youngsters to watch out for
Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
Nicknamed as ‘Big Show’, Glenn Maxwell is one of the most attractive batters who has lit up the limited-overs formats with his unconventional shot-making. Maxwell has played 21 games across all T20 World Cup editions scoring 446 runs with an imposing SR of 147.68.
Maxwell had a below par 2024 IPL season where he could muster only 52 runs in 9 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). His last over cameo innings of 16 off 5 balls in the high-stake knockout game between RCB and CSK (Chennai Super Kings), proved to be a good differentiator in knocking CSK out of the playoffs race.
Maxwell’s biggest strength is his ability to read slower balls to perfection and play those unorthodox shots existing beyond cricketing nomenclature. This will definitely suit his style of play in the slow and tacky pitches of West Indies. His ability to play unconventional shots - reverse sweeps, swivel long sweeps and pulls - makes it difficult for the skippers and bowlers to set the field accordingly.
Read More: T20 WC 2024: Top 5 bowlers to watch out for
David Miller (South Africa)
Fondly addressed as the ‘Killer Miller’, David Miller is a hard-hitting left-handed middle-order batter with a penchant for clearing the boundary. His aggressive playing style made this catchphrase synonymous to him, “If it’s in the V, it’s in the tree. If it's in the arc, it’s out of the park.”
As far as his performances in T20 World Cups are considered, he has played 14 matches scoring 254 runs at a SR of 132.98.
In IPL 2024, he played 9 matches and accumulated 210 runs with a splendid SR of 151.08. The Gujarat Titans (GT) heavily relied upon the Miller-Rahul Tewatia show to rescue them from precarious situations but it failed this time. Miller was devoid of getting strong support at the other end and despite his single-handed efforts, the Titans couldn’t cross the playoffs hurdle.
Miller is a self-styled finisher who is strong off the front and back foot. He has got the mindset it takes to win a match almost single handedly and is a reliable name in hunting down the steeper targets. He has a strong bottom hand play and dispatches the balls in no time if it’s in his hitting arc.