Rohit Sharma denied captaincy, Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav ignored as 3 India stars make Cricket Australia’s T20WC XI

After 54 riveting encounters, the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup is down to the final game, where India, the 2007 champions, will take on South Africa. The Rohit Sharma-led side will be aiming for their second T20 World Cup title and their maiden ICC trophy in 11 years, while Aiden Markram’s men will be hoping to win the first-ever world title in men’s cricket. Ahead of the game at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, Cricket Australia released their best XI from the T20 World Cup tournament.

The team of 11 players comprises three from India, two each from Afghanistan and Australia, and one apiece from South Africa, the USA and Bangladesh.

India captain Rohit Sharma has been picked as the opener after his stellar show in the tournament, where he smashed 248 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 155.97, alongside Australia’s Travis Head, who is the second-highest run-getter in the tournament with 255 runs in seven matches. However, the Indian, despite being impressive with his leadership role throughout the tournament, was not named as the skipper of the team. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, who inspired the side to their best-ever show in an ICC tournament, of a semifinal finish, was named the captain of Cricket Australia’s best XI.

Cricket Australia ignored India’s Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper and rather picked Nicholas Pooran, who scored 228 runs in seven innings for West Indies, and completed the top-order with the addition of Aaron Jones.

The line-up comprised two all-rounders – Marcus Stoinis and Hardik Pandya. The Mumbai Indians captain bounced back from a forgettable IPL 2024 season to emerge as the most crucial member in the Indian set-up. He smashed 139 runs and picked up eight wickets in India’s run to the final.

The bowling line-up comprises two spinners – Rashid and Bangladesh’s Rishad Hossain – and two fast bowlers – Jasprit Bumrah and Fazalhaq Farooqi. This implies that Cricket Australia ignored both Kuldeep Yadav, who picked 10 wickets in just four appearances for India, and Arshdeep Singh, who has been India’s second-best bowler in this tournament with 15 wickets.

Cricket Australia’s T20 World Cup XI: Rohit Sharma, Travis Head, Nicholas Pooran, Aaron Jones, Marcus Stoinis, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan (C), Rishad Hossain, Anrich Nortje, Jasprit Bumrah and Fazalhaq Farooqi.