T20 World Cup 2022 predictions: five players to watch

During the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, we take a look at five players who are expected to perform well during the tournament.

Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan) in T20 World Cup 2022

This is one of the most consistent T20I batsmen in the entire world and it shouldn’t come as any surprise that the Pakistan opener has been rated as the top T20I batter in the entire world at the present time.

Pakistan’s chances of claiming the title in Australia will hinge on Rizwan’s consistency at the top of the order, and the 30-year-old will be determined to uphold the excellent performance he delivered with the bat at last year’s event by reproducing it.

The right-hander scored three half-centuries in the 2021 T20 World Cup and a total of 281 runs at an average of 70, making him the only player in the tournament to score more heavily than his teammate Babar Azam and the Australian David Warner.

Suryakumar Yadav (India) in T20 World Cup 2022

Suryakumar Yadav has had one of the most impressive years of his career during the year 2022. This in-form right-hander has emerged as one of Rohit Sharma’s most important players during that time.

At last year’s edition of the T20 World Cup, Yadav only had a handful of appearances for India to his credit, and his paltry return of 42 runs from three knocks barely raised a brow amongst those who follow all things cricket in the world.

The 32-year-old batsman, however, has continued to be a model of consistency since then and is currently rated as the second-best batsman in the world on the latest rankings list for T20I cricket.

Jos Buttler (England) in T20 World Cup 2022

Although the England captain is currently battling a calf injury that is expected to last for several months, we expect him to be fully recovered in time to lead the assault on the 2010 champions.

There is no one in the world who has been in better form over the last 12 months than Buttler, with the 32-year-old creating history by becoming the only player to score a century at last year’s event in the UAE and Oman.

He was in excellent form during the IPL this year, scoring 863 runs for the Rajasthan Royals during which he became the first player in IPL history to reach triple figures four times.

In July, Buttler’s batting efforts against India and South Africa at home were not quite up to his lofty standards, but he will surely bounce back to his best during the tour of Australia in September.

Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) in T20 World Cup 2022

Having shown that he can save his best performances for the big occasions in the past, Sri Lanka’s all-rounder is surely capable of dominating for the island nation in Australia if he is given the chance.

It was Hasaranga’s performance that highlighted the 2021 event as he grabbed the most wickets (16) of any player and backed that up by winning the Player of the Tournament award at the end of Sri Lanka’s successful campaign at the Asia Cup.

As the 25-year-old spinner will be playing on bigger grounds in Australia this year, there is a good chance he will be among the leading wicket-takers yet again this year, given the bigger grounds.

David Warner (Australia) in T20 World Cup 2022

David Warner was the only cricketer to score more runs than Pakistan’s Babar Azam at the last year’s tournament, and the Australian veteran is generally a much better player on home soil than he is away from it.

In last year’s tournament, Warner scored three half-centuries and his 289 runs at an impressive strike rate of almost 150 were among the best for the top players in the competition.

There are many reasons why the all-conquering Australian side was able to hoist the trophy at the Dubai International Stadium as a result of his imperious form.