The qualifying rounds are almost over and the main stage of the T20 World Cup 2021 is here. The matches of Super-12 are to start from October 23. Team India will take on Pakistan (India vs Pakistan) in the first match on October 24.
The side looks well balanced and all the other sides have plenty of gun players to be the match-winners on the day. However, there are big names that are missing. Shikhar Dhawan of India and Sunil Narine of West Indies are prominent names that are not part of this tournament. Narine has taken 425 wickets in T20. Dhawan, on the other hand, has scored more than 8700 runs.
Here we take a look at 5 star players who could not make it to the T20 World Cup this time.
Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar Dhawan was brilliant in IPL 2021. He scored 587 runs at an average of 39. Questions have always been raised about his strike rate in International T20. And hence, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan have trumped him. Dhawan has scored 8775 runs in T20 cricket with 2 centuries and 63 half-centuries.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal is the highest wicket-taker for India in T20 Internationals. In the IPL, he took 21 wickets in 15 matches. However, his present form in international T20 saw Rahul Chahar get a chance in his place. Chahal has taken 63 wickets in T20 Internationals and 241 wickets in T20s.
Sunil Narine
Sunil Narine is not part of the present West Indies team for T20 World Cup. In IPL 2021, he picked up 16 wickets in 14 matches with an economy rate of 6.44. However, he could not pass a fitness test and had to miss out from the T20 World Cup. He has taken 52 wickets in T20 Internationals and 425 wickets in T20 cricket.
Faf du Plessis
South African opener Faf du Plessis is also out of the tournament which is quite baffling for cricket lovers. In IPL 2021, he scored 633 runs in 16 matches. He scored a half-century in the final and made CSK the champion. He has also scored a century in T20 Internationals and has amassed 1528 runs in total.
Imran Tahir
42-year-old leg-spinner Imran Tahir of Pakistan has taken 420 wickets in T20. He has performed well in T20 leagues around the world and was also part of the CSK in the IPL. He has taken 63 wickets in T20 Internationals, but he is not part of the squad for the T20 World Cup.
Get all the IPL news and Cricket Score here