By Chetan Sharma
New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS): Thunder Down Under -- ICC T20 World Cup 2022 -- is all set to kickstart from October 16 and the best players from across the globe have gathered in Australia to vie for top honours.
Though there are many, IANS takes a look at the five players to watch out for in the mega sporting spectacle.
Mohammad Rizwan: The World number 1 ranked batter in T20I cricket, Mohammad Rizwan has been a consistent performer for Pakistan. For the records, he is the highest run-scorer in T20I cricket in this year and also finished as the highest run-scorer during Asia Cup 2022. Opposite sides will look to unsettle him early or else he will be a danger man in the tournament.
Suryakumar Yadav: Stylish Indian batter SKY is currently in the form of his life. He ranked at number 2 in the ICC T20I batsmen rankings. He is also the second-highest run-scorer in the shortest format in 2022. The stylish batter will definitely be one of the players to watch out for. His shots in every corner of the ground in the recent series against Proteas got praise from several former cricketers. He was even compared with ABD - AB de Villiers -- the 360 degree player.
Wanindu Hasaranga: Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will also be a player to watch out for. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2021 World Cup and sits in the top 10 of ICC's T20 ranking for all-rounders. His deliveries are tough to pick and that makes him so successful in the shortest format of cricket.
Jos Buttler: He may not be among the top 10 ranked but no team will ever feel comfortable till he is in the crease. Buttler, who was recently named the England white-ball captain, is arguably the hardest batsman to bowl to when he is in the zone, which can be quite often. It will be interesting to see how he comes out this time.
Josh Hazlewood: The seamer will look to dominate the home conditions at the T20 World Cup. Not only is he the number 1 ranked T20I bowler in the world currently, but his performances in the lead up to the tournament have also been promising, so there is a lot to look forward to for fans of the Australian team.