Remember the date – June 29 – India lifted their second T20 World Cup – their first in 17 years – on Saturday by beating South Africa in a thriller. The team also bid farewell to the legendary trio – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja – as the tournament was wrapped up on a high note in Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval. Apart from India’s fairytale journey, the tournament has also witnessed the rise of the Afghanistan and USA cricket teams and a remarkable redemption of the former champions, West Indies. A few early exits for the likes of New Zealand, Pakistan, and Australia have also made headlines.
As the T20 World Cup 2024 ended more as a bowler-friendly event, let’s have a look at who has made it to the tournament’s best-playing XI.
Rohit Sharma (captain)
Far from home, in the Caribbean, Rohit Sharma was only one of them who deserved a World Cup win very badly on Saturday. And he lifted the ICC silverware after a seven-run win over South Africa in the final.
With 257 runs in eight innings, the Indian skipper ended up as the highest run-scorer for his side. The Mumbai batter hit three fifties which also included a match-winning 92 against Australia. Having guided India to their second T20 World Cup title, Rohit Sharma will also be leading the Team of the Tournament.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was one of the major reasons Afghanistan qualified for the semi-finals this year and the beast he turned into with the bat this time was a treat to watch.
The 22-year-old smashed 281 runs in the eight matches at an average of 35.12, wrapping up his World Cup campaign as the highest run-scorer in the tournament. He alongside Rohit at the top order could just be the cherry on the cake.
Nicholas Pooran (wicket-keeper)
A clean striker of the ball with some Caribbean flavour, Nicholas Pooran, enjoyed his best World Cup campaign which also helped the West Indies produce some memorable performances at home.
Batting at No.4, Pooran amassed 228 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 146.15 for the West Indies. His 53-ball 98 against Afghanistan was one of the highlights of his dream run in the recently-concluded tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav
Suryakumar Yadav, the No.2 T20I batter in the world, has all the reasons to feature in the Team of the Tournament. With 199 runs in eight innings, the swashbuckling batter was always an X-factor in India’s starting XI.
Suryakumar hit two half-centuries in the tournament, which came in crucial junctures against the USA and Afghanistan in the Super 8s. He also missed a well-deserved fifty against England in the semi-final.
Heinrich Klaasen
Indian fans held their collective breath when Heinrich Klaasen smashed a quick-fire fifty in the final and what could be a better occasion to include him in the best XI of the tournament?
A strong middle-order batter from South Africa, Klaasen, amassed 190 runs in eight innings at an average of 31.66. He has been one of the most consistent run-scorers in the T20 format for the last couple of years and his inclusion is a no-brainer in any starting XI.
Marcus Stoinis
Australian star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis continued his impressive form in the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States.
Stoinis smashed 169 runs in five innings at an impressive strike rate of 164.07. Interestingly, he also picked up 10 wickets with the ball for Australia.
Earlier, Chennai’s iconic Chepauk Stadium witnessed Marcus Stoinis’s whirlwind 124* against the home side, Chennai Super Kings which helped Lucknow Super Giants cross the line convincingly.
Hardik Pandya
An IPL villain in the Indian summer, Hardik Pandya, turned into a superstar all-rounder in the T20 World Cup. He has been going through contrasting environments but has held his nerves to deliver his best in Team India’s World Cup win.
Hardik smashed 144 runs in six innings at an excellent strike rate of 151.57. He even made things easier for India, picking 11 wickets with the ball.
Rashid Khan
From refugee camps to World Cup semi-finals in the Caribbean Islands, Rashid Khan was the man behind Afghanistan’s drastic rise in T20 cricket. He captained the side all through Super 8s before losing to South Africa in the semis.
Rashid scalped 14 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 6.17 for Afghanistan and was one of the leading wicket-takers in the tournament.
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Who would have imagined Fazalhaq Farooqi taking nine wickets in Afghanistan’s initial two matches in the tournament? Benched for the whole season in the IPL by Sunrisers Hyderabad, Farooqi had different plans coming into the T20 World Cup.
He took 17 wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 6.31 and was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament. His fast-bowling masterclass included his career-best 5/9 against Uganda.
Kuldeep Yadav
Apart from conceding 45 runs in the final, Kuldeep Yadav was at his ultimate best in the World Cup. The left-arm chinaman carried his IPL 2024 success to the ICC event and produced crucial breakthroughs whenever required.
Kuldeep picked up 10 wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 6.95 to make India’s journey to the final easy.
Jasprit Bumrah
The player of the T20 World Cup 2024, Jasprit Bumrah, had a wonderful comeback in the IPL 2024 after an injury. He had turned into a rare commodity with the ball in the tournament providing several match-winning spells.
Bumrah scalped 15 wickets in eight matches at a jaw-dropping economy rate of 4.17 and is currently one of the best bowlers across all formats.
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