Ranked 1-16: The top opening pairs at the T20 World Cup
Cricket
Fast starts will be as important as laying solid foundations at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022.
BRISBANE (Web Desk) - As the best batters prepare to plunder runs from the top of the order we rank the opening pairs for every team at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Fast starts will be as important as laying solid foundations at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 and the top opening pairs will be pivotal to setting their teams up for success.
Looking closely at theT20I Batting Rankings, past performance and recent form, we rank the T20 World Cup opening partnerships.
1. Pakistan
Two of the top three batters in the T20I Batting Rankings give Pakistan the leading opening line-up heading into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
Captain Babar Azam and star keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan have scored more runs together in T20Is than any other opening pair, and arrive in ominous form following their recent displays against England and in the Asia Cup.
The duo were also two of the top three run scorers at last year’s T20 World Cup and will again be crucial to Pakistan’s chances of challenging for the title with their middle order looking less reliable.
Babar Azam
ICC T20I batting ranking: 3
Career average / strike rate: 43.41 / 130.03
Latest T20I scores: 4, 87*, 9, 36, 8
Mohammad Rizwan
ICC T20I batting ranking: 1
Career average / strike rate: 52.53 / 128.57
Latest T20I scores: 1, 63, 88, 8, 88*
2. India
KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma have been among the most devastating opening pairs for more than five years and will be among the key players in India’s chances of putting a poor T20 World Cup behind them just a year later.
Rahul was India’s leading scorer at the tournament last year but Rohit also has the pedigree of scoring heavily at the biggest events and will now want to lead from the front as skipper.
KL Rahul
ICC T20I batting ranking: 14
Career average / strike rate: 39.57 / 140.40
Latest T20I scores: 57, 51*, 1, 10, 55
Rohit Sharma
ICC T20I batting ranking: 16
Career average / strike rate: 31.94 / 140.59
Latest T20I scores: 0, 43, 0, 17, 46
3. New Zealand
The 36-year-old veteran Martin Guptill has been part of several dazzling duos over the years and seems set to build another with Devon Conway.
Keeper-batter Conway moved to the top of the order for the recent series against the West Indies and made fast starts in all three T20Is.
While young gun Finn Allen is another opening option, expect the experienced pair to be given first opportunity to lead New Zealand to an elusive Men’s white-ball trophy.
Devon Conway
ICC T20I batting ranking: 7
Career average / strike rate: 47.2 / 138.28
Latest T20I scores: 21, 42, 43, 46, 36*
Martin Guptill
ICC T20I batting ranking: 10
Career average / strike rate: 31.79 / 135.8
Latest T20I scores: 15, 20, 16, 2, 45
4. Australia
The reigning champions will start the T20 World Cup uncertain of their preferred opening pair. Skipper Aaron Finch batted at four in the recent T20I against the West Indies but should start the tournament at the top of the order alongside usual partner David Warner.
The two 35-year-olds have been in reasonable T20I form but all-rounder Cameron Green could still be unlocked as a weapon for the hosts if called into the tournament squad.
Aaron Finch
ICC T20I batting ranking: 6
Career average / strike rate: 34.97 / 144.88
Latest T20I scores: 58, 7, 31, 22, 29
David Warner
ICC T20I batting ranking: 48
Career average / strike rate: 33.3 / 141.18
Latest T20I scores: 14, 39, 21, 70*, 53
5. Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka will be full of confidence after their Asia Cup triumph and have two of the top batters at that tournament set to open the batting at the T20 World Cup.
Pathum Nissanka and keeper Kusal Mendis both scored heavily at the Asia Cup and will have an opportunity to build on that form against lower-ranked opposition through the First Round matches.
Pathum Nissanka
ICC T20I batting ranking: 8
Career average / strike rate: 29.66 / 115.58
Latest T20I scores: 8, 55*, 52, 35, 20
Kusal Mendis
ICC T20I batting ranking: 56
Career average / strike rate: 20.90 / 126.47
Latest T20I scores: 0, 0, 57, 36, 60
6. Afghanistan
Afghanistan have experimented with much of their batting order this year but have settled on Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai as their openers
The young duo put together several strong partnerships through the Asia Cup, with 20-year-old keeper Gurbaz particularly impressive against Sri Lanka and one to watch closely at the T20 World Cup.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
ICC T20I batting ranking: 18
Career average / strike rate: 25.87 / 138.46
Latest T20I scores: 0, 17, 84, 11, 40
Hazratullah Zazai
ICC T20I batting ranking: 21
Career average / strike rate: 32 / 138.92
Latest T20I scores: 0, 21, 13, 23, 37*
7. England
Skipper and keeper Jos Buttler sat out the recent T20I series against Pakistan but will return to open the batting for England alongside Alex Hales or Phil Salt.
Buttler can punish loose bowling from the outset but will need to quickly find his best form after a layoff, while Hales can also take hold of an innings but needs to make more of any solid starts.
Jos Buttler
ICC T20I batting ranking: 26
Career average / strike rate: 32.75 / 142.57
Latest T20I scores: 14, 29, 22, 18, 4
Alex Hales
ICC T20I batting ranking: 166
Career average / strike rate: 30.06 / 136.98
Latest T20I scores: 18, 27, 1, 5, 26
8. South Africa
Captain Temba Bavuma is ready to return after elbow surgery and should partner Quinton de Kock, although South Africa might be tempted to open with the in-form Reeza Hendricks.
Keeper de Kock looms as crucial to their fast starts with his sublime striking of the ball, especially if Bavuma picks up where he left off with a streak of poor scores before his injury.
Quinton de Kock
ICC T20I batting ranking: 12
Career average / strike rate: 32.25 / 134.12
Latest T20I scores: 68, 69*, 1, 7, 7
Temba Bavuma
ICC T20I batting ranking: 89
Career average / strike rate: 23.54 / 116.49
Latest T20I scores: 3, 0, 0, *8, 8
9. Ireland
Ireland will push their leading batters to the top of the order as they bank on Paul Stirling and Andy Balbirnie setting up their innings and batting the bulk of their overs.
Stirling will want to find form in the warm-up matches and through the First Round after a rough patch, while skipper Balbirnie can usually be relied on to lead a strong start.
Paul Stirling
ICC T20I batting ranking: 27
Career average / strike rate: 28.67 / 134.84
Latest T20I scores: 16, 20, 0, 4, 31
Andy Balbirnie
ICC T20I batting ranking: 49
Career average / strike rate: 23.33 / 126.00
Latest T20I scores: 9, 15, 1, 46, 51
10. United Arab Emirates
The UAE have a settled opening pair in Muhammad Waseem and Chirag Suri that now have an opportunity to show their talents on the biggest stage.
Waseem will be expected to lead the attack from the early overs but Suri has shown he is also capable of big scores for a team searching for form after a disappointing Asia Cup.
Muhammad Waseem
ICC T20I batting ranking: 9
Career average / strike rate: 40.62 / 152.58
Latest T20I scores: 18, 15, 18, 58, 35
Chirag Suri
ICC T20I batting ranking: 77
Career average / strike rate: 30.42 / 118.23
Latest T20I scores: 5, 39, 4, 0, 88
11. West Indies
The two-time T20 World Cup champions have a call to make on the make-up of their top order and whether to partner Brandon King with Kyle Mayers.
King is more than capable of doing damage from first drop but with the likes of Shamarh Brooks and the recalled Evin Lewis yet to claim the opener role the West Indies might prefer to start with two of their more damaging batters.
Brandon King
ICC T20I batting ranking: 19
Career average / strike rate: 24.69 / 127.12
Latest T20I scores: 12, 53, 13, 20, 68
Kyle Mayers
ICC T20I batting ranking: 76
Career average / strike rate: 24.53 / 130.96
Latest T20I scores: 39, 4, 1, 14, 73
12. Scotland
George Munsey has been looking for a new opening partner since former skipper Kyle Coetzer retired from T20Is, with Calum MacLeod appearing the most likely option.
The pair will have an opportunity to work on their partnership in the First Round, with Matthew Cross next in line if reinforcements or a shuffle are needed.
George Munsey
ICC T20I batting ranking: 25
Career average / strike rate: 27.43 / 144.72
Latest T20I scores: 19, 28, 17, 24, 22
Calum MacLeod
ICC T20I batting ranking: 78
Career average / strike rate: 24.28 / 111.00
Latest T20I scores: 33, 16, 12, 0, 0
13. Zimbabwe
Veterans Craig Ervine and Regis Chakabva ensure the in-form Zimbabwe look stable at the top of the order in their return to a T20 World Cup after the team failed to qualify for the 2021 event.
Captain Ervine can be relied on to contribute early runs with a relatively conservative approach while allowing keeper-batter Chakabva to attack the bowlers at the other end.
Craig Ervine
ICC T20I batting ranking: 94
Career average / strike rate: 22.66 / 107.59
Latest T20I scores: 24, 1, 21, 10, 38
Regis Chakabva
ICC T20I batting ranking: 102
Career average / strike rate: 16.33 / 129.20
Latest T20I scores: 17, 0, 8, 27, 30
14. Netherlands
Max O’Dowd and Stephan Myburgh will be relied on to lay solid foundations for Netherlands in a First Round group that they will be confident of progressing from.
It will be O’Dowd that is called on to lead the fast starts while also taking the opportunity to test himself against the best bowlers, as 38-year-old veteran Myburgh approaches a probable last appearance on the biggest stage.
Max O’Dowd
ICC T20I batting ranking: 47
Career average / strike rate: 29.28 / 124.03
Latest T20I scores: 6, 2, 12, 16, 73
Stephan Myburgh
ICC T20I batting ranking: 149
Career average / strike rate: 22.15 / 115.04
Latest T20I scores: 24, 5, 22, 0, 0
15. Bangladesh
Bangladesh have tried more combinations at the top of the order than most this year but seem to have settled on Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Sabbir Rahman as their opening pair.
A star in under age tournaments now with more than 100 internationals to his name, the 24-year-old Miraz arrives in good form and with an opportunity to finally make a mark at the top level while Rahman also searches for consistency.
Mehidy Hasan Miraz
ICC T20I batting ranking: 151
Career average / strike rate: 15.83 / 121.01
Latest T20I scores: 46, 12, 38, 19, 8
Sabbir Rahman
ICC T20I batting ranking: 589
Career average / strike rate: 23.48 / 120.22
Latest T20I scores: 12, 0, 5, 1, 24
16. Namibia
Namibia could turn to the inexperienced Divan la Cock and Michael van Lingen to get their innings started, following the recent retirement of Craig Williams.
The 19-year-old la Cock looms as one of the brightest young talents among the emerging teams, while van Lingen will have an opportunity to make the position his own in the First Round matches.
Divan la Cock
ICC T20I batting ranking: NA
Career average / strike rate: 29.66 / 121.91
Latest T20I scores: 14, 9, 66
Michael van Lingen
ICC T20I batting ranking: NA
Career average / strike rate: 19.29 / 104.65
Latest T20I scores: 12, 51, 14, 25, 4
