The T20 World Cup 2022 is scheduled to happen in Australia this year. Host nation Australia is the defending champion. They were the runaway winners when the World Cup was played in UAE last year. It was also arguably the last major tournament for the game’s biggest stars. There were a few who signed off on a happy note while left with disappointment. The previous World Cup had also witnessed some interesting selections. The World Cup this year will certainly miss the ones who are the game’s biggest names.
We look at 5 such players who will Miss World Cup 2022:
#5 Dwayne Bravo
He is one of the very few players to have won the World Cup twice. Dwayne Bravo is one such player. He is a T20 veteran. Bravo has won multiple T20 titles. He is someone who was tailor-made for the game’s shortest format. Bravo’s skills as a bowler at the death are unparalleled. He is also a handy lower-order batsman. Bravo though didn’t have a great last World Cup. Even his performance in IPL 2022 also went unnoticed. He is certain to miss out on this edition of the World Cup.
#4 Rahul Chahar
His selection for the last year’s T20 World Cup was highly contentious. Rahul Chahar was picked ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal. It came on the back of Chahal’s dipping stocks last year. His fall coincided with Chahar’s rapid rise last season. But when the second leg of IPL 2021 resumed, the tide started turning.
Chahal again got back into wicket-taking form. But Chahar struggled even to make the first XI of Mumbai Indians on a couple of occasions. Surprisingly, Chahar didn’t get to play all the games in the World Cup. He is now well behind in the pecking order. Chahar will miss out on a World Cup spot unless any miracle plays out.
#3 Mohammad Hafeez
The professor as he is fondly called, Mohammad Hafeez has been a fine servant to Pakistan cricket. He played a key role in Pakistan’s run-up to the semis in the last edition. Playing a role of a middle-overs aggressor and as a finisher at times, Hafeez was right up there with the best for a long time. But Hafeez hung his boots earlier this year. Pakistan will miss his services in the World Cup this year.
#2 Kieron Pollard
One of the greatest players of the format, Kieron Pollard has called it quits on his international career. He was part of the double World Cup-winning squad for the Windies. Pollard apart from winning the World Cup twice, has been part of 5 IPL title wins. He has won games from positions of absolute hopelessness. Pollard won’t be part of the Windies side this edition. World cricket will surely miss one of the format’s all-time greats this edition.
#1 Varun Chakravarthy
He was expected to be India’s trump card in the last edition’s World Cup. Varun Chakravarthy is arguably India’s first-of-its-kind mystery spinner. He was expected to bamboozle opponents in the low and weary pitches of UAE. But he was below par in all the games he played. Fitness was always a concern with Varun but his bowling too didn’t live up to the expectations. He is nowhere near the radar of national selection. At this moment, the team isn’t looking at him for the World Cup.
