The T20 World Cup 2024 will be bigger than ever, featuring 20 teams. It’s happening in the West Indies and the USA from June 1 to June 29. India kick-starts their T20 World Cup journey on June 5 against Ireland in New York.
The T20 World Cup schedule was unveiled in January. It will happen across three venues in the USA and six in the West Indies. The tournament begins with Canada facing the USA on June 1 in Dallas. The grand finale is set for June 29 in Barbados. The much-awaited, India vs Pakistan, is set for June 9 in New York.
With their star players eager to prove themselves, most of the top teams will enter the competition with high hopes. The opening hitters have a significant impact on the Twenty20 match by establishing the tempo and style of play for the remainder of the batting order.
Top 10 Opening Batters for the T20 World Cup 2024
1. India – Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal
The performance of Indian captain Rohit Sharma is a major concern for the country’s supporters. As the 2024 Indian Premier League season progressed, the 37-year-old had a rough second half, often losing wickets to left-arm seamers. Rohit Sharma poses a significant danger to many bowlers if he can rediscover his form. However, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been displaying his abilities with a scorching century during the IPL and has been in fantastic run-scoring form overall.
2. Australia – David Warner and Travis Head
Even if David Warner’s batting performance in the 2024 Indian Premier League was lackluster, he remains the game’s most lethal threat when he’s on his game. After an IPL 2024 batting blitzkrieg, Travis Head enters the T20 World Cup in fine form. David Warner will be looking to cap out his Australian career with a trophy, and the two players were instrumental in the team’s victory in the ICC One-Day International World Cup.
3. England – Jos Buttler and Phil Salt
Jos Buttler and Alex Hales batted first in England’s last Twenty20 World Cup victory. This year it will be the towering and explosive Phil Salt, who has taken IPL 2024 by storm for KKR with the bat, to accompany his captain. The two hitters are inherently aggressive and when in full flow, the two can rip any bowling team apart. England will be hoping the two stars can fire with the bat if they have to successfully defend their crown.
4. New Zealand – Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra
The left-handed batting combo of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra was one of the most successful opening pairings of the ICC ODI World Cup 2023. Devon Conway is one of the most reliable hitters for New Zealand and after a lengthy period away due to injury, he will aim to bounce back to his best run-scoring form. Rachin Ravindra may not have lit the house on fire during IPL 2024 but there is no disputing the class he possesses with his swashbuckling exploits when he is playing for his national team.
5. South Africa- Quinton De Kock and Reeza Hendricks
The Proteas enter yet another ICC event hoping to break their long-standing curse and win a big prize. Quinton De Kock’s form may not be at its peak, but the left-handed hitter has a knack for scoring crucial runs with the bat in vital matches. Reeza Hendricks has been one of the most underappreciated batsmen in the T20 format, and his 87 against the West Indies demonstrated why he should not be underestimated.
6. West Indies – Brandon King and Johnson Charles
The hosts are now playing a brief series against South Africa in preparation for the next event. Brandon King demonstrated his ability to score runs quickly by scoring 79 in the opening game of the series. Johnson Charles may have struggled in the first game against the Proteas, but the right-handed batter is a natural striker of the ball who can alter the course of a game with his huge smashes.
7. Sri Lanka – Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka
Sri Lanka, the 2014 World Cup champions, will rely on the abilities of Kusal Mendis and Pathum Nissanka to counter the opposing bowling onslaught. Kusal Mendis can alter gears depending on the situation, whilst Pathum Nissanka is a natural stroke maker with the ability to clear the infield. Sri Lanka’s two batting stars will be crucial in advancing from a challenging and hard group.
8. Afghanistan – Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran
The Afghanistan side is one of the most fascinating sides that is scheduled to take part in the T20 World Cup. Most of their players have inherent skill and are incredibly destructive with the bat and ball. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s recent showing in the IPL has demonstrated that he is the crucial player for the side throughout the forthcoming season. Ibrahim Zadran also has the class and talent to put the best assaults to shame as he scores runs at a swift speed for his side.
9. Bangladesh – Tanzid Hasan and Litton Das
Finding a reliable opening partnership has been difficult for Bangladesh ever since Tamim Iqbal was removed from the team. Litton Das and Tanzid Hasan, the newest combination, have been having trouble lately since they are both unreliable hitters. The Tigers have suffered greatly as a result, losing the current series against the USA in a crushing defeat only days before the major competition.
10. Pakistan – Saim Ayub and Mohammad Rizwan
Babar Azam’s decision to bat at number three means that Saim Ayub and Mohammad Rizwan will have to spearhead Pakistan’s batting attack at the top of the order. Mohammad Rizwan has been having trouble scoring runs lately, while Saim Ayub hasn’t been playing at his best.