As the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup knocks on the door, vivid images emerge -- memories of the players who left lasting impressions through their bats and balls, and catches, and more in the previous editions. This time, on the soil of the Americas and the Caribbean, 20 teams each featuring a powerhouse of talents will battle for the coveted silverware starting on June 2, Sunday. (More Cricket News)
But before the action begins, let's take a closer look at the top five batters to look out for in the marque event.
Five Best Batters To Look Out For In 2024 T20 World Cup
1. Virat Kohli (India)
Fans call Virat Kohli, 'the king' because he rules every single chart in batting metrics. He is the top leading run scorer in the Twenty20 World Cups with 1141 runs from 25 innings to his name. What's intriguing is that Kohli rules the table without a single century with his highest individual score being 87.
Kohli is riding high on the heroics in the recently passed 2024 Indian Premier League T20 cricket tournament where he earned the orange cap for being the highest scorer with 741 runs from 15 matches played.
2. Travis Head (Australia)
Travis Head of Australia is indeed a force to be reckoned with, earning the tag of 'madman' for how much madness he brings to the cricket grounds whenever he gets in his best form. All eyes will be on him after what he did in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup. He struck a century (137) in the summit clash in front of 1,20,000 crowds at the Narendra Modi Stadium to help Australia win their sixth Trophy against India. Head is one of the seven batsmen to score a century in a Cricket World Cup Final.
Lately, in the Indian Premier League playing with SunRisers Hyderabad (runners-up), he along with young Abhishek Sharma illustrated a new dimension of batting. He smashed 567 runs in 15 matches at a staggering strike rate of 191.55, it is the best figure in the tournament for batters with 500+ runs.
3. Phil Salt (England)
When the topic is the T20 format and who plays it the best, Phil Salt fails not to miss the conversation, especially after his wonders in his debut T20 series against West Indies in January 2022. He was spectacular again in December in the Caribbean. With the highest strike rate of 193.54, Phil is the first and only batter to smash two consecutive centuries in T20I matches.
Recently, Salt made headlines for his stellar batting performance in the 2024 Indian Premier League with 435 runs from 12 matches for Kolkata Knight Riders helping the team clinch their third title.
4. Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)
Nicholas Pooran's batting prowess has become an asset for the West Indies. He is on fire after his showdown in the 2024 Indian Premier League playing for Lucknow Super Giants. Pooran amassed 499 runs in 14 matches at an average of 62 and a strike-rate of over 170.
How much entertainment is coming along Pooran in the 2024 T20 World Cup was evident in the warm-up match between Australia and West Indies where he struck a blistering 25-ball 75 and helped his side secure a 37-run win.
5. Heinrich Klaasen (South Africa)
The best thing about Heinrich Klaasen of South Africa and the 2024 T20 World Cup is the slow pitch of the Americas and Caribean -- this is where his expertise lies. With a strike rate of 181.36 in the 2024 IPL season playing for SunRisers Hyderabad, Klaasen has showcased his affinity for slow pitches.
As the South Africa cricket team aims to break their winless streak in the upcoming event, all eyes will be on him.
