Less than 12 months after the T20 World Cup 2021 concluded in the UAE, the teams will go at it again, this time in Australia, for the all-impotant T20 World Cup 2022.
T20 World Cup 2022 will kick start on October 16 with the preliminary qualifying round and the Super 12 stage will begin on October 23. The final, to be staged at the iconic MCG, will be played on November 13.
While the turnaround between the two T20 World Cups has been a short one, there have been some significant changes in a few teams – not least the change in captaincy. And this has been so huge, that there are 3 players who not only stepped down/were sacked as captains, but also now don’t find a place in the squad.
Here are 3 captains from the T20 WC 2021 who will not play in the T20 WC 2022:
Eoin Morgan
England’s revolutionary skipper who delivered the country’s first ODI World Cup in 2019, Eoin Morgan had announced his retirement from international cricket in June 2022 amid poor form and injury issues.
At last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, even though Eoin Morgan’s form was underwhelming – 68 runs in 4 innings at a strike rate of 119 – England reached the semi-final because of Jos Buttler’s pyrotechnics and bowling strength, but lost to New Zealand in the semi-final.
And then Eion Morgan had hinted at playing this year’s T20 WC, but struggled with regular muscle injuries in his groin and leg, and dismal form – since 2021, in T20s, he had averaged 17 at a strike rate of 117 until the time of his retirement – forcing him to bid adieu to international cricket, and he handed the reins to Jos Buttler.
Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard announced a sudden retirement from international cricket in April 2022, while he was playing for MI in the IPL 2022, stepping down as West Indies’ limited-overs skipper, giving the duties to his young deputy, Nicholas Pooran.
Kieron Pollard was appointed the white-ball captain in September 2019, and led the side in the 2021 T20 WC where they only managed to win only one out of 5 matches – vs Bangladesh – and he scored 90 runs at a strike rate of 107. His form has been dipping in the last couple of years, and was even dropped from the MI eleven. Overall, Pollard led West Indies in 61 matches in the two white-ball formats, of which they won 25 and lost 31.
Mahmudullah Riyad
Bangladesh selectors made a big call and dropped their Mahmudullah from the squad for the T20 World Cup 2022. First, he was replaced by Shakib Al Hasan at the T20I skipper for the Asia Cup 2022.
His last T20I fifty was in the T20 WC last year, and has scored 151 runs in 8 T20Is this year, at a strike rate of 110.21. At the Asia Cup 2022, Mahmudullah managed 52 runs at a lowly strike rate of 106.12 in two innings.
Under Mahmudullah’s captaincy, Bangladesh lost all their 5 Super 12 matches last year.
“You need to have a succession plan for who [next]. I think this was the right time to think of someone who can fill in Mahmudullah’s big shoes. You need someone. Unless we start playing players in that role, we won’t find them,” technical consultant Sridharan Sriram said when the squad was announced.
