Players who will feature in 2021 T20 World Cup and also played in 2007 T20 World Cup
Fans must have marked their calendars with the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup being just around the corner. The gala tournament will get underway on October 17 with matches taking place in UAE and Oman. With T20 becoming a fan-favourite format in the last few years, several teams even have their set of T20 specialists. Hence, the competition is set to witness some exciting contest between the willow and the ball.
Meanwhile, this will be the seventh edition of the competition. The inaugural T20 World Cup took place in 2007 on South African soil. A lot has changed in the cricket world since then and it would be interesting to see how the upcoming tournament unfolds. Meanwhile, only nine players from the inaugural T20 World Cup are going to feature in the upcoming competition.
Let’s have a look at those players:-
1. Chris Gayle
Arguably the best batter in the history of T20 cricket, Gayle smashed the first-ever century in T20 Internationals. He also holds several other records in the format and West Indies would have high hopes from him. Gayle has featured in all six previous seasons of the competition.
2. Ravi Rampaul
Gayle’s teammate Ravi Rampaul was also featured in the inaugural edition of the competition. Having played his last international match in 2015, the right-arm pacer is a surprise pick in West Indies’ T20 World Cup.
3. Dwayne Bravo
The highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket, Dwayne Bravo also played the inaugural edition. The West Indies all-rounder can unleash big hits at will and his deceptive deliveries have tormented many batters.
4. Rohit Sharma
The unsung hero of India’s T20 World Cup in 2007, Rohit Sharma has come a long way. Hailed as the Hitman, Rohit is one of the finest openers going around and his plethora of experience would definitely help India.
5. Shakib Al Hasan
Another legend of the game, Shakib Al Hasan will also feature in the upcoming competition. Shakib is unarguably the greatest Bangladesh player ever and his records speak volumes of his prowess. Be it scoring runs, taking wickets or saving runs on the field, the all-rounder is a force to reckon with in every department.
6. Mushfiqur Rahim
Shakib’s teammate Mushfiqur Rahim also featured in the inaugural T20 World Cup. Rahim has been a cornerstone of Bangladesh’s batting line-up over the years and would be raring to shine in the upcoming competition.
7. Mahmudullah
All-rounder Mahmudullah is the third Bangladesh player on this elite list. The right-handed batter can anchor the innings in the middle overs alongside unleashing big shots in the end. He can also chip in with his hand off-spins. Notably, the veteran cricketer will lead Bangladesh in the upcoming competition.
8. Mohammad Hafeez
Hafeez has certainly aged like fine wine and only seems to get better with time. The Pakistan all-rounder can decimate bowling line-ups in the middle overs. If that’s not enough, his off-spins can also choke the scoring rate.
9. Shoaib Malik
Hafeez’s teammate Shoaib Malik is a late entrant in Pakistan’s squad for T20 World Cup 2021. He had led the national team in the inaugural competition. Having done well lately, the all-rounder would like to shine in the T20 World Cup.