Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has picked his best XI for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rohit Sharma have been picked as openers by the reputed commentator.
Rohit Sharma scored 257 runs in eight matches of the T20 World Cup 2024 at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of 156.71 whereas Gurbaz was the leading run-getter with 281 runs at an average of 35.12 and a strike rate of 124.33.
“I am starting with Rohit Sharma as an opener and captain. If you leave aside the final, his batting was incredible, and his captaincy was top-class. There is no better captain than him in the entire world at the moment,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“I have got Rahmanullah Gurbaz to open with him. Virat Kohli couldn’t get a place because he scored runs in only one match. Rahmanullah Gurbaz is also my wicketkeeper. This team reached the semi-finals because of his partnerships with Ibrahim Zadran,” Chopra reasoned.
Nicholas Pooran, who scored 228 runs at an average of 38 and a strike rate of 146.15, also finds a place in Chopra’s team. Suryakumar Yadav also made the cut as he scored 199 runs at an average of 28.42 and a strike rate of 135.37.
“I have kept Nicholas Pooran at No. 3. I was thinking about Rishabh Pant. He scored runs at the start but after that, he suddenly went cold. I have kept Nicholas Pooran because when he played, he hit a lot. I know the team didn’t reach the semi-finals,” he observed.
“It was again a contentious decision about who to keep at No. 4. I have gone towards Suryakumar Yadav. You might say why. I will say because he scored runs in the semi-final, made a little contribution in the match before that, took an incredible catch in the final, and scored two successive fifties earlier,” Chopra elaborated.
Chopra picked Heinrich Klaasen ahead of David Miller for the number five position. Klaasen scored 190 runs at an average of 31.67 and a strike rate of 126.67 in the T20I showpiece.
“I was slightly split at No. 5. Should we keep Miller or Klaasen? I am going with Klaasen. He is my personal favorite. He scored a fifty in the final as well and if he had played 10 deliveries more, South Africa would have 100% won their first World Cup,” Chopra explained.
The renowned commentator picked Hardik Pandya as the best all-rounder of the tournament. The all-rounder scored 144 runs in six innings at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 151.57 in the T20I showpiece. Pandya also scalped 11 wickets in eight matches at an average of 17.36 and an economy rate of 7.61.
“I have kept Hardik Pandya and he should be kept. He has been the best all-rounder in the World Cup. No all-rounder came close to him. He made important contributions with both bat and ball and consistently. He does all the ending jobs, which are the most difficult in T20s,” he said (5:10).
Chopra picked Rashid Khan and Rishad Hossain as the two spinners in his team. Khan snared 14 wickets at an average of 12.78 and an economy rate of 6.17 whereas Rishad scalped 14 wickets in seven matches.
“After that, I have kept Rashid Khan and he is also my vice-captain. He took his team to the semi-final. He picked up four wickets in the most difficult game against Bangladesh and scored 18-19 runs as well. Rashid is karamati Khan,” Chopra stated.
“Then I have kept an interesting choice. I have kept Rishad Hossain, the leg-spinner from Bangladesh. He bowled extremely well, picked up wickets, and kept his team in the game. The team didn’t reach the semi-finals but it wasn’t his mistake,” he added.
India’s gun fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah also finds his name in the team. Bumrah bagged 15 wickets at an average of 8.26 and an economy rate of 4.17. Arshdeep Singh and Fazalhaq Farooqi, who picked 17 wickets apiece, are the other two fast bowlers in the team.
“After that, Boom Boom – no question, a no-brainer. Forget this World Cup, he is the world’s best bowler at this moment across all formats. He is one of the greatest of all time in white-ball cricket. Very few can raise their game consistently in clutch situations. He has done it time and again,” he reasoned.
“Then I have kept Fazalhaq Farooqi and Arshdeep Singh. I thought about Pat Cummins, two hat-tricks, and Anrich Nortje, but Fazalhaq Farooqi has been absolutely outstanding. Arshdeep Singh doesn’t get that much credit. He is expensive at times but he was exceptional in the final,” Chopra explained.
T20 World Cup: Aakash Chopra’s Team Of The Tournament
Rohit Sharma (c) – India, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicketkeeper) – Afghanistan, Nicholas Pooran – West Indies, Suryakumar Yadav – India, Heinrich Klaasen – South Africa, Hardik Pandya – India, Rishad Hossain – Bangladesh, Rashid Khan – Afghanistan, Jasprit Bumrah – India, Arshdeep Singh – India, Fazalhaq Farooqi – Afghanistan.
