Top cricketers eyeing last shot at T20 World Cup glory
Updated: May 14th, 2024
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| Source: IANS |
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is the pinnacle prize for any international cricketer in the shortest format of the game.
Come June 1, and 20 teams will be in a battle for the entire month to decide who would win the prestigious Men’s T20 World Cup silverware. For some of the players, it could become the last chance to have a shot at winning the title.
Here are some cricketers who could potentially be playing their last Men’s T20 World Cup:
Rohit Sharma (India)
The India captain has been playing T20Is since 2007 and played handy knocks in India’s title-winning run in South Africa. Now, after having taken India to a runners-up finish in the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup, Rohit would be itching to go one step further through the upcoming T20I showpiece.
With India having lots of young batting talent and soon to burst on the big stage, Rohit will probably treat this World Cup as his last hope of claiming his hands at a white-ball silverware by leading India to glory in the Caribbean and USA.
Virat Kohli (India)
If there is one player in the Indian team who’s desperate to win a global title alongside, it’s the talismanic Virat Kohli. Though he has winners medals from the 2011 Men's ODI World Cup at home and 2013 Champions Trophy, Kohli would be aiming to have a shot at winning the T20 World Cup to complete his set of medals in white-ball cricket.
The signs are there as Kohli, 35, is in stellar form in the ongoing IPL 2024 season and is leading run-making charts in the tournament. He averages 81.5 in T20 World Cups and has two Player of the Tournament awards too, which means chances are bright for him to do the bulk of scoring for India in the upcoming World Cup.
David Warner (Australia)
The aggressive left-handed opening batter has been one of the biggest players for Australia since 2009. Warner right now is on the swansong of his cricketing career, after retiring from Tests and ODIs earlier this year.
Though he hasn’t been in greatest of form for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024 and has missed a lot of games due to injury, Warner, 37, would be itching to sign off from international cricket on a high with the T20 World Cup silverware.
Moeen Ali (England)
An explosive left-handed batter who doubles up as a handy off-spin bowler Moeen, 36, had gone back into Test cricket retirement after last year’s Ashes and was also rumoured to quit ODIs to prolong his T20 career. With many younger crop of players coming through the ranks in England, the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup could be his last global appearance in the shorter format.
Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter had retired from Tests at the end of 2021 and signed off from the ODI format after last year’s World Cup in India, where he struck four centuries for South Africa in their semifinal finish.
If South Africa, the perennial underachievers, are to finally win a global trophy through the upcoming T20 World Cup, de Kock will have to play a crucial role in it if he signs off from international cricket later.
(This story was taken from a syndicated feed, and edited only for style by Gujarat Samachar Digital staff)
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