10 Players to watch out for in the World T20 2016

With the tickets out for sale, the World T20 has started to generate greater excitement. The buzz will increase as we get closer to the highly anticipated mega event. Teams will look to make a mark and produce some stellar performances in front of the cricket loving public of India and the world. Here’s a look at 10 players who could light up the marquee event and be the most impactful players for their respective teams. 1. Chris Gayle: West Indian batsman Chris Gayle. (Photo by Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images) The king of Caribbean is would look to hammer his famous sixes and light up the marquee event. The fans will hope for a Gayle storm every time the West Indies play. The big man is a big entertainer and a magnetic crowd-puller. Arguably the hardest hitter of the cricket ball in modern day cricket, Gayle is a match-winner like none. The T20 format suits his style of batting and he is without a doubt the greatest batsman in this format. When in flow he is simply unstoppable. 2. Andre Russell: West Indies Cricketer Andre Russell. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) The West Indian all-rounder has in recent times become a genuine match-winner. An ability to score runs under pressure has become his forte. A huge hitter of the ball he is also a fine fast bowler. One of the most sought after all-rounders in T20 leagues around the world, Russell is also a brilliant fielder and hence contributes in every department for his team. Russell bowls with the new ball and is capable of generating good pace. His batting though remains his most potent weapon. 3. R Ashwin: Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo by Ishara S.KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) R Ashwin’s presence will loom large on opposition batsmen throughout the competition. Ashwin is one of the players who came into the public’s reckoning through the IPL and yet was good enough to hold his own in bigger forms of cricket. I was his success in T20 cricket that earned him a call-up to the national side, ODI firsts and inevitably the Tests in 2011-12. In the shortest format of the game, he comes up with a variety of tricks to flummox the batsmen. Well adept at bowling with the new ball, India will rely heavily on him throughout the tourney. 4. Virat Kohli: Virat Kohli of India. (Photo by Darrian Traynor – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) A typical modern-day cricketer, Virat Kohli plays his game aggressively, bares his emotions loudly in public, yet retains the element of maturity that forms an integral part of every good and great player. One of the finest batsmen in the world, Kohli has been in sparkling form of late. He scored heavily in Australia and will look to continue his form. In the last edition of the WorldT20, Kohli was at his imperious best and arguably played the innings of the tournament in the semi-final against South Africa. 5. AB de Villiers: South African captain AB de Villiers. (Photo by Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images) AB is the kind of a batsman who can single-handedly win a match for his team. His dazzling footwork and amazing hand-eye coordination make him unpredictable yet unbeatable. A nightmare for the bowlers and captains alike, his temperament and ability to pace the innings are secondary to none. His record, across all formats of the international game, fully justifies him being considered as one of the greatest to have ever played the game. South Africa will need AB to deliver the goods in India if they are to lift the coveted trophy. 6. Chris Morris: South African batsman Chris Morris. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP/Getty Images) The bustling, big-hitting all-rounder, Chris Morris has been in news recently with his strong show for South Africa. The son of a former Northern Transvaal first-class cricketer Willie, Morris was a bit of a late bloomer but his eventual rise has been worth the wait for his country. He is a pacy opening bowler who often sends the speed gun beyond 140kph. Apart from speed, his accuracy with the ball and fearless lower-order ability with the bat have resulted in him earning big bucks in IPL. He recently played some match-winning cameos against England and gave a glimpse of his immense potential. 7. Jos Buttler: England batsman Jos Buttler.(Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images) England’s swashbuckling batsman Jos Buttler said he has modelled his game on South Africa’s master batsman AB de Villiers after he smashed England’s fastest ever ODI century scoring 116* off just 46 balls in the fourth ODI against Pakistan in Dubai in January. He said the invention of Twenty20 and de Villiers’ approach are reasons for his own big-hitting style. Buttler keeps proving his class with every game. He plays well all-round the wicket using a strong bottom hand. He loves hitting over cover and down the ground being particularly strong on the leg side. 8. Glenn Maxwell: Glenn Maxwell of Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) The Australian all-rounder loves to take on the bowlers. He is unpredictable and inconsistent yet no one can doubt his match-winning ability. Maxwell can strike big and has all the shots in his kitty. He can frustrate the bowlers and force them into bowling lengths they usually wouldn’t. The Aussies have never won a WorldT20 and much will drought depend on this man’s form if they are to end their drought. Maxwell is a brilliant fielder and also a useful off-spin bowler. He is well versed with the Indian conditions and will look make use of his experience of playing in the IPL. 9. Shahid Afridi: Pakistan’s cricketer Shahid Afridi. (Photo by ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images) The Pakistan T20I captain is one of the game’s biggest hitters and a mercurial character. His fast leg-breaks have proved highly effective in the shorter formats of the game. He has played in T20 leagues around the world and made a positive impact. ‘Boom Boom’ is a superstar and a magnetic crowd-puller. Afridi will look to produce some entertaining performances for his fans as this might be the last time they see wearing the Pakistan colors. The talismanic cricketer will look to lead from the front and produce match-winning performances. 10. Martin Guptill: (Photo Source: Getty Images) Guptill has been one of New Zealand’s most consistent batsmen in the T20 format in recent times. His exploits in the 2015 World Cup were spectacular and he has continued his golden run from that point onwards. The right-hander is a belligerent opening batsman who has the ability to play long innings in the shorter formats as well. It will be interesting to see how he handles the added responsibility of giving the Kiwis some flying starts in the absence of the recently retires Brendon McCullum. Having missed out in the IPL auctions, the opener will surely want to prove a thing or two with his bat in India.