The 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup ended with Australia defeating England to lift the trophy. It was Australia’s first victory in the T20 format while New Zealand had to endure another heartbreak. There were plenty of noteworthy performers throughout the competition. In this article, we take a look at the best XI of the T20 World Cup 2021. The XI consists of players from seven different nations.
Openers: David Warner and Jos Buttler (WK)
David Warner and Jos Buttler will open the batting for the best XI of the T20 World Cup 2021. Warner started the tournament slowly but peaked at the right time to end up winning the Player of the Tournament trophy. He was the second-highest run-getter with 289 runs from seven games.
On the other hand, Jos Buttler displayed good form throughout the event. He was the sole centurion in the competition and overall, accumulated 269 runs from six encounters at a strike rate of 151.12. The Englishman will also keep wickets for this XI. Even Mohammad Rizwan did well but Buttler’s game had that extra X-factor.
Middle-Order: Babar Azam (C) and Aiden Markram
Babar Azam, as expected, was in top form at the 2021 T20 World Cup. Opening the batting for Pakistan, Babar finished as the highest run-scorer of the event. He scored four fifties and batted at an average of 60. He also led his team very well, and hence, Babar will also captain this unit.
Aiden Markram might not have the numbers to show for but he added an impact almost every time he went out to bat. Despite playing out of position, the South African did the job that he was tasked with in an impressive manner.
All-Rounders: Moeen Ali, David Wiese and Wanindu Hasaranga
We have three all-rounders for the best XI of the T20 World Cup 2021. Moeen Ali was the difference in quite a few games that the English team won. Carrying on his form from the IPL, Moeen delivered both with the bat and the ball. While he scored a total of 92 runs, including a well-made fifty, the player’s contribution as a bowler was seven wickets from six games.
Sri Lankan cricketer Wanindu Hasaranga finished as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament. In eight games, he took 16 wickets at an average of 9.75 and conceded only 5.20 runs per over. He also struck 119 runs, a record that also included a match-winning 71.
David Wiese shifted allegiances to represent Namibia at the T20 WC. He brought up 227 runs, and he did well against some tough opposition like Bangladesh and Pakistan with the bat. He was also handy with the ball, collecting six scalps.
Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Trent Boult and Shaheen Afridi
The Aussie duo of Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa will feature in this XI. Generally known as a test bowler, Hazlewood surprised many with his ability to do well in the T20 format. His spell ensured that New Zealand did not race off to a quick start in the finals.
Zampa, though, was consistent throughout the tournament. He managed to pick wickets at crucial junctures and otherwise stemmed the flow runs. Zampa finished with 13 wickets at an economy of 5.8.
Trent Boult and Shaheen Afridi will comprise the core of this pace attack. Boult got 13 wickets in the event while the Pakistan speedster managed seven victims. Both the bowlers were characterized by their ability to spew fire at the start although Boult also repeated it at the death.
