T20 WC 2021: Overrated XI from the current squads

With the ever-competitive environment, it is a herculean task to make it to the national team. One has to be at their absolute best and display great performances consistently to cement their place in the side. Donning the national jersey is a dream for every sports person and it is a no-brainer that they have to punch above their weights to make a name for themselves.

Cricket is not just a sport, it is probably an emotion that rules the lives of ardent cricket fans. And thus when it comes to the teams, the on-lookers more often than not come forward to present their views. Add to it a mega event like that of a T20 WC and it further grabs the attention.

As the T20 WC 2021 is on cards, the teams have already announced their squads for the marquee event. However, the cricket experts and the fans have been expressing their thoughts on the squads and the team combinations ever since. There seem to be some players who have been talked about a lot but haven’t been unable to live up to the expectations.

Here is the Overrated XI of the T20 WC 2021:

1. Matthew Wade

Wade emerged into the scenes as one of the most hard-hitting and entertaining left-handed batters for Australia. But then the batter had to face a lean patch owing to his inconsistent performances. The Australian brand of cricket that aims to dominate the opposition would naturally aim to have impactful players in the side.

A dip in form of some players makes way for others in the team. Thus, the keeper-batter had to fight hard for his spot on the national side. While at the domestic circuit, he had turned many heads with his impressive shows with the willow and did a great job as an emerging player.

He has made it to the T20 WC squad but his average and strike rate have been disappointing. Unfortunately, Wade is considered as one of the overrated cricketers who hasn’t been able to keep the good performances going. In 97 ODI matches, he has scored 1867 runs and averages 26.29. Whereas when it comes to the shortest format, he has chipped in 655 runs from 48 matches averaging just 19.26.

2. Hazratullah Zazai

Hazratullah Zazai made waves at a young age by hitting consecutive half-centuries and fashioned the team’s victory in the T20I series against Ireland. While batting for Kabul Zwanan against Balkh Legends in the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League, he hit six sixes in an over. Previously he had already scored a 44 ball century in the tournament.

Though he grabbed many eyeballs with his power-hitting abilities, later he wasn’t able to build on his innings. He got to good starts in most of the games but eventually could not convert them into big scores. In 16 ODI matches, he has scored 361 runs and averages just 22.56.

For a player who ruled the headlines with his attacking game, these numbers do not do justice to it. In the T20Is he has chipped in 570 runs from 15 matches.

3. Temba Bavuma

South Africa was once considered one of the powerhouses in cricket. However, in recent years the team has struggled to make a lasting impact on the cricketing world.  After Faf du Plessis decided to hang up his boots as the South African captain in 2020, Quinton de Kock was given the mantle of the team. But owing to the split captaincy concept that came to the fore, Temba Bavuma took the reins of leading the side in the shorter formats of the game.

However ever since he has been appointed as the skipper of the side, he hasn’t had a successful run. He has played 13 ODIs and has scored 499 runs in the format. Whereas on the other hand, he has gathered just 410 runs from 16 T20Is at an average of 27.33.

When it comes to standing tall for the side in crunch moments, the players have to exude some great repertoire. And when it is the skipper of the side, the expectations are furthermore added. Thus has Bavuma performed to the extent it is expected from a captain of the side in International cricket is still a thing to ponder about.

4. Heinrich Klaasen

Klaasen came to the fore at the same time when Quinton de Kock knocked on the doors of the South African team, across all formats. However, the latter ruled the proceedings by featuring in the toughest of the T20 leagues. Whereas on the other hand, Klaasen wasn’t the first choice of any team when he came to IPL.

He possesses the ability to hit the ball hard and fetch in some quick runs. He has also shown his abilities with the willow in the past but as they say, history has no takers. His inconsistency has cost him his place in the sides and that certainly is a major aspect one considers when it comes to the overrated players.

In the recent series against the West Indies, he got certain starts but was unable to capitalize on them. He registered the figures of 17, 42, 17, and 2 in the T20I series and was eventually dropped from the decider match. He has mustered 436 runs from 26 matches at a dismaying average of 22.94.

5. Asif Ali

The batter came into the limelight due to the Pakistan Super League and after witnessing his heroics in the tournament it was expected that he would reflect the same for the national side as well. However, things did not turn out quite like that. Though he put up some belligerent shows with the bat for Islamabad United, when it came to performing for the national side, his numbers haven’t been too intriguing.

He was named in the 15 member squad of Pakistan for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021 while it was also stated that the selectors have invested trust in him despite him not having outstanding numbers. He was considered as a power-hitting middle-order batter but even after been given enough chances in the team he couldn’t make most of them.

He was also dropped from tours to England and the West Indies earlier this year. Talking about his numbers, in 29 T20Is he has scored 344 runs at an average of just 16.38.

6. Azam Khan

After Pakistan announced their squads for the England and West Indies, the selectors were brought under scanner for naming Azam Khan in the side. Many speculated that his selection in the team had the influence of his father Moin Khan who is a former wicket-keeper.

Azam Khan has a good strike rate and the Pakistan side which seemed to have struggled a bit in their middle order, got him in the side. More often than not, the team vastly depends on Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to deliver. Thus, Azam Khan was expected to tick the massive box of holding the fort of the side in the middle orders.

During the national T20 Cup, Azam Khan couldn’t put up any impressive shows. In four matches, he scored 53 runs at an average of 13.25. He has featured in just three T20Is. And at a very early stage of his career, he is hyped to be one of the bests in the business.

7. Roston Chase

The bowling all-rounder starred with some good performances in the 2015-16 Professional Cricket League which led to his national Test call-up. But from 41 Test matches that he has played, Chase has scored 1996 runs averaging just 28.11. In ODIs as well, he has chipped in 520 runs from 30 matches at an average of 26.00.

In the recently concluded Caribbean T20 League, Chase was the highest run-getter of the tournament. From 12 matches he scored 446 runs at an average of 49.55. This in turn led to his selection in the West Indies team for the mega event of the World Cup.

Though he brought some power hitting to the picture in the CPL, he is yet to shine on the international stage. In a tournament like an ICC event where the best of the teams face each other, the pressure and expectations are both high. Thus, it will be important for him to perform in the World Cup.

8. Gulbadin Naib

The all-rounder made his ODI debut against Canada at Toronto in the 2011-13 Intercontinental Cup. Naib also featured in a few matches for the Afghan Cheetahs team in the Faysal Bank Twenty20 Cup 2011/12. He was then named in the 14 member team of the 2012 World T20 Qualifier.

He has played the role of a middle-order batter and also takes the mantle with the ball. He possesses the ability to hit the ball hard and earlier expressed his willingness on opening the innings for Afghanistan. He is thus part of the team for the high-profile event as well.

Diving deeper into his numbers, in 68 ODIs, he has scalped 61 wickets and scored 1079 runs. When it comes to the shortest format, he has picked up 17 wickets from 48 T20Is.

9. Chris Woakes

Though Chris Woakes is a regular name in the England squad, most of his heroics have come in Tests and ODIs. The English all-rounder made his Test debut in 2013 but ever since then, he featured in just 39 matches. However, his effectiveness outside his home country has been a concern.

In 39 Test matches, he has scored 1389 runs and picked up 119 wickets. Whereas in the ODIs, he has scalped 155 wickets and chipped in 1315 runs from a total of 106 matches. However, he hasn’t played much of T20I games. In 10 matches that he has played, he has clinched eight wickets.

His IPL career has also been of fluctuating fortunes. In 21 IPL games, he has picked up 30 wickets. He is a part of the squad for the crucial tournament and it is for all to watch if he is able to make a lasting impact.

10. Lungi Ngidi

The tall, fast-bowling prospect of South Africa is one of the crucial aspects of the South African team. Alongside Kagiso Rabada, he is often expected to lead the fast bowling unit of the team. But leaving an impressive mark in international cricket amidst all the competition is a tough task.

In the year 2017, Ngidi was named on the South African side to play against Sri Lanka. He made his debut in style by winning the man of the match. He however received his Test cap against India in Centurion and yet again won the man of the match on debut.

In the Indian Premier League, he is a part of the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings. The pacer has scalped 54 wickets from 29 ODIs and 36 wickets from 23 T20Is. Often the number of chances a player gets and the fans build the hype around the player. It is a no-brainer that he has been crucial for South Africa but his performances haven’t been too fascinating. He leaked a lot of runs in the recent series against West Indies and had a similar fortune in the first half of the IPL as well.

11. Oshane Thomas

The tall, broad-shouldered Oshane Thomas probably has all the qualities needed for a fast bowler. He came into the limelight after his performances in the CPL. Whilst a match for the Jamaica Tallawahs against St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots in 2017, he scalped the prized wickets of Chris Gayle and Carlos Brathwaite which fetched him a lot of attention.

A year later he made his ODI debut against India. He possesses the talent to swing the ball at a good pace.  With his abilities, it seemed that he made things a tad bit difficult for the batters. But having said that he is still yet to walk a long path.

In 17 T20Is he has picked up 19 wickets. Whereas in the ODIs he has scalped 27 wickets from 20 ODIs. In the marquee event, a lot of eyes will be fixed on him to deliver.