The eighth edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup is set to begin in less than 10 days' time where Australia will be defending their crown.
In any mega-event, there are certain usual suspects who arrive with a big reputation for delivering on the big stage.
But at the same time, there are also some player who goes under the radar or are forgotten because of having a rather quiet few months.
We are bringing you a list of five sleepers who can surprise any opposition on a given day in the tournament.
First on the list features Australia's Tim David. The right-hander burst onto the scene after his heroics for Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) a few years back and since then, he has become a renowned name in the world of T20 cricket. In his short T20I career for Australia and Singapore, David has already scored 674 runs at an average of 39.44 along with an astonishing strike-rate of 160.47. Those numbers are just frightening for any opposition and therefore, having a player like David in your fantasy can prove to be a masterstroke. But one thing remains to be seen is whether Kangaroos team management will find space for David, especially in the presence of all the other all-rounders in the squad.
Second in the list features Another Australian player — David Warner. The veteran opener has been performing regularly but his numbers have gone under the radar for quite some time for unknown reasons. Since the start of 2020, Warner is averaging nearly 50 in the T20Is with a strike-rate of nearly 146. Those numbers are extremely impressive for anyone opening the innings and therefore, the experienced left-hander can be a more than a useful player in the upcoming mega-event.
Third in the list features South Africa's veteran wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock. The left-hander has been around for a while but has failed to live up to the expectations in the mega-events in the past. Proteas will be hoping that their senior pro will correct that reputation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and help the side in posting competitive scores by contributing on regular basis. De Kock has played 72 matches for South Africa in T20Is where he has managed to score 2,032 runs at an average of 32.25 along with the strike-rate of 134.12, which included 13 half-centuries. In the ICC T20 World Cups, the left-hander has 286 runs at an average of 22 and with a strike-rate of 121.18.
Fourth in the list features New Zealand's veteran batter Martin Guptill. The right-hander is in the twilight of his career and is probably taking part in the final T20 World Cup. This year, Guptill has been in okayish form with 198 runs at an average of just 22 along with the strike-rate of just 122.22 with no score of 50 or more. The Black Caps management will be hoping that the 35-year-old will leave the format on a high and make some significant contributions to the side.
Last in the list features England's all-rounder Chris Woakes. The 33-year-old remains one of the most underrated cricketers in the world, especially with all the focus remaining on his teammate Ben Stokes. Woakes has an impressive record in his short T20I career where he has 19 wickets to his name with an economy-rate of 7.72 in 18 matches. That's not it as with the bat in hand, the right-hander averages 21.60 along with the strike-rate of 138.46. Those numbers make him an extremely useful cricketer for the English team who will be hoping that the Sydney Thunder all-rounder will stay fit and keep contributing to the team's cause.
