The T20 World Cup 2024 is coming soon! It will take place from June 1 to 29 in the USA and the West Indies. The first match, between the United States and Canada, will be held in Dallas.
Fans can look forward to exciting games, as most teams have strong batsmen and bowlers.
Today, let’s talk about the best opening pairs from all the teams before the T20 World Cup 2024 starts.
5. Ibrahim Zadran & Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Not many people would think Afghanistan’s opening pair is very good, but Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz can do amazing things in the T20 World Cup 2024.
In the ODI World Cup last year, Zadran and Gurbaz made important century partnerships that helped their team win against strong teams like England and Pakistan. In his last T20I match, Zadran scored his best-ever 72* runs off 51 balls against Ireland.
Gurbaz, on the other hand, played crucial roles for the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2024 playoffs, scoring quick 23 and 39 runs. His performance helped KKR win the championship.
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4. Brandon King/Shai Hope & Johnson Charles
The West Indies have put together a strong team for the T20 World Cup, aiming for their third title. Veteran batter Johnson Charles is confirmed as one of the openers, with either Brandon King or Shai Hope partnering with him.
Recent series against South Africa, King was the top batter, scoring 159 runs in three games. In the final match, he scored 44 runs and, along with Johnson Charles (who scored 69), helped the team chase a target of 164 runs in less than 14 overs.
In a warm-up game against Australia, Hope (14 runs) and Charles (40 runs) opened and scored 38 runs together in under three overs. Hope had a decent performance in the IPL 2024, scoring 183 runs with a strike rate of 150, boosting his confidence for the World Cup.
3. Travis Head & David Warner
Travis Head and David Warner, two experienced left-handed batsmen from Australia, are ranked third. They have batted together in the 2023 World Cup knockouts and a T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year.
In the semi-final of the 2023 World Cup, they scored 60 runs together off just 37 balls. However, Warner has struggled recently, scoring only 168 runs for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024.
In contrast, Head impressed everyone during the IPL 2024 league stage, scoring 567 runs at a strike rate of 191.55, with his highest score being 102. But, he has had three ducks in his last four games. It will be interesting to see how this pair performs, but they are sure to intimidate the opposition.
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2. Rohit Sharma & Yashasvi Jaiswal
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, one of the best opening pairs in the T20 World Cup, hope to end India’s ICC trophy drought since their last win in the 2013 Champions Trophy.
In the IPL 2024, Sharma scored 417 runs and Jaiswal scored 435 runs, with each hitting a century. They aim to be more consistent to help India start strong in most games.
In Test matches, they have scored 980 runs together at an average of 61.25. In their last three T20Is, Jaiswal scored 132 runs, and Rohit scored 121 runs.
1. Phil Salt & Jos Buttler
The defending champions have the best opening pair in Phil Salt and Jos Buttler because of their experience and current good form in T20 cricket. In a recent game against Pakistan, Salt and Buttler scored 82 runs in just 38 balls, helping their team easily chase a target of 158.
In nine T20 International games together, they have scored 554 runs at an average of 61.55, with their best partnership being 117 runs against the West Indies in December 2023.
IPL 2024, Salt scored 435 runs at a strike rate of 182.01, helping the Kolkata Knight Riders reach the playoffs. Buttler also did well for the Rajasthan Royals, scoring 359 runs at a strike rate of 140.78.
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