20-20 World Cup 2022: One player from each team who might be benched for entire tournament

The much anticipated 20-20 World Cup 2022 is just a few days away from now. All participating teams have already declared their best 15 players who will feature in the marquee tournament in Australia. Every aspiring player has a dream to play for his country at the highest level of the game but there are only a few who get this opportunity from the management considering various combinations and situations ahead of any tournament.

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It can’t be said so easily that every player of the squad can get the opportunity to represent his team in any major international tournament. While picking the playing XI, teams always consider the players who are in form and have good match practice ahead of the competition.

Having said that, here we’ll have a look at one player from all eight qualified teams, who might have to sit on the bench throughout the entire tournament.

Hasan Mahmud – Bangladesh

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The young pacer has emerged as a very good prospect in white-ball cricket for the Bangla tigers. The young pacer has caught the attention of cricket experts and fans with his bowling brilliance and ability to touch down at a speed of 140 kmph. He has featured in 25 T20 matches scalping 24 wickets bowling at an economy rate of 8.05.

He was picked by the management in the squad for the 20-20 World Cup to have some variety in the bowling lineup. Although, he hasn’t played many matches even after performing up to expectations. Hasan has played only three T20Is for Bangladesh and scalped three wickets. So, there are the possibilities that he might not get a chance to feature in the playing XI of either of the matches in the tournament.

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Mohammad Saleem Safi

The 20-year-old young boy Mohammad Saleem has impressed everyone with his unbelievable outings in the domestic circuit of Afghanistan. He has scalped 41 wickets in just 12 matches with an average of 27.51. He also delivered some brilliant performances during the Shpageeza Cricket League 2022.

Saleem played in nine matches of the Afghanistan T20 competition for Boost Defenders and claimed 11 scalps with an economy of 6.63. Thanks to his amazing outings, Saleem got a call-up to the squad of the national team for the upcoming 20-20 World Cup. Although, his first international appearance for Afghanistan is still awaited and it seems that the management might not prefer to take a risk with a debutant in the entire 2022 edition of the 2002 World Cup.

Usman Qadir – Pakistan

Usman has been picked by the selectors in the list of specialist spinners in the squad for the 20-20 World Cup 2022. The Lahore-born lad has played 23 T20Is for the national side of Pakistan having 29 wickets against his name. Qadir has bowled with an economy rate of 8.13 in his career so far.

Although, he hasn’t performed up to the expectations of late which could be seen in the recently-concluded seven-match T20I series against England. He played four matches in the series and took only four wickets with a very high economy rate of 10.41. Speaking of Pakistan’s plans for the World Cup then they are much assured of going with the duo of Mohammad Nawaz and vice-captain Shadab Khan. This combination might compel the management to bench the 29-year-old for the entire tournament.

Reeza Hendricks – South Africa

Hendricks has been a consistent performer for the South African team in the quickest format of the fame. The 33-year-old has scored 1372 in 47 innings of 48 matches for his team with a strike rate of 125.41. Apart from that, he is also in a good run of form lately.

In the three-match T20I series against England, he amassed 180 runs followed by his brilliant batting against Ireland where he smashed 116 runs. He is a good fit for the Proteas in the opening combination but having Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma already in the lineup, the chances for Hendricks to be in the playing XI seem quite a bit diminished.

Michael Bracewell – New Zealand

The Masterton-born top-order batter made has made his first international appearance for the national side of New Zealand in this very year of 2022. Bracewell played his first T20I against Ireland earlier in the month of July. Since then, he has played nine T20Is for the Kiwi team. In these matches, he has scored a half-century and scored runs with an amazing strike rate of 202.27.

Being a wicketkeeper, Bracewell can be counted in the slot of all-rounders, but on the other hand, New Zealand team management has already a few names shortlisted in their mind. This list includes the likes of James Neesham, Daryl Mitchell, and Mitchell Santner, these players are assured to be there in the final XI of the Kiwi team. So, it doesn’t seem that Bracewell will make a cut to playing XI in any match of the eighth edition of the 20-20 World Cup.

David Willey – England

The 32-year-old bowling all-rounder David Willey has been a vital element for the English team since he made his debut in the T20Is seven years back in the year 2015. Willey has played 41 matches and scalped 50 wickets with a four-wicket haul to his name. He has also contributed to his team with the bat as well on a few occasions.

The 32-year-old was also in England’s squad for the last year’s World Cup and the management has picked him once again in the 20-20 World Cup squad. But the presence of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood in the squad is making a possibility that Willey might have to wait for his chance in the entire tournament.

Josh Inglis – Australia

The England-born Australian wicketkeeper Josh Inglis made his international debut for the Aussies earlier this year in the month of February. Since he has played nine matches with a score of 220 runs having an average of 27.50 to his name. Inglis has scored runs in his T20I career so far with a strike rate of 141.02.

Apart from his international appearances, the 27-year-old has also proved his worth in the domestic T20 circuit of Australia. Batting in 76 innings of 81 matches, Inglis has scored 2005 runs with an average of 29.92 having two centuries and 12 half-centuries to his name. On the backs of his amazing outings, the Aussie management has shown faith in him and gave a chance in the squad of the 20-20 World Cup.

Although, the chance for Inglis to make it to the playing XI is almost to the extent of impossible as the team has already an established opening pair of Aaron Finch and David Warner.

Deepak Hooda – India

Deepak Hooda (Image source- Twitter)

The Rohtak-based Indian batting sensation Deepak Hooda has shown his batting excellence this year. He stunned and amazed everyone with his outstanding performances in the 2022 edition of the Indian T20 League. Hooda played for the new entrants Lucknow in the 15^th edition of the tournament. The right-hander scored 451 runs in the Indian T20 League.

Speaking of his international career, then the 27-year-old has played 12 matches for India at the highest level of the game. Batting in nine innings of these matches, he has scored 293 runs with an average of 41.85 having a brilliant century to his name against Ireland.

Coming back to the Indian batting combination for the 20-20 World Cup 2022, then they are studded with the mix of KL Rahul, and Rohit Sharma in the opening. It will be followed by the batters like Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and Dinesh Karthik in the middle order. So, Deepak Hooda might not get a chance to feature in the playing XI of any of the matches in the entire 20-20 World Cup.