Babar Azam, Suryakumar Yadav top PICKS in Shane Watson’s World T20 Playing XI

Though Suryakumar Yadav, the world’s number two T20I batter, receives the backing of Shane Watson, he would not be surprised if his teammate KL Rahul does well in T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

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Former Australia and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Shane Watson revealed his top five players that he would select as a part of a World T20 Playing XI, which features star Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav. Watson represented Australia from 2002-16 and went out of the national side as one of its greatest white-ball players.

In recent times, he has taken a coaching role to nurture new talent, joining Delhi Capitals as their assistant coach in the Indian Premier League and was also part of MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings squad. During his years in coaching, Watson is keeping a close eye on some of the best T20I talents all over the world and eagerly waits for ICC T20 World Cup 2022, which will take place from October-November this year.

“First one I would pick would be Babar Azam. He’s the No.1 T20I batsman in the world, and he just knows how to dominate. It is like he’s not even taking any risks, and he scores incredibly quickly against the best bowlers in the world,” said Watson during the recent episode of ICC Review on Tuesday (August 23).

“He is going to do very well in Australian conditions (during the T20 World Cup) as well, as his technique is very much built for Australian conditions,” he added. “Second one is Suryakumar Yadav. He is batting incredibly well, and he would be my No.2 pick,” continued Watson.

Though Yadav, the world’s number two T20I batter, receives the backing of Watson, the former Aussie all-rounder would not be surprised if his teammate KL Rahul does well in T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

“But I would not be surprised at all if (India team-mate) KL Rahul explodes in the T20 World Cup in Australia, because he is got the game to dominate in these conditions in Australia,” he said.

Watson’s third pick is the veteran Australian opener David Warner, who had emerged as the ‘Man of the Tournament’ in the previous edition of the tournament with 289 runs in seven innings and three fifties under his belt. His current ICC T20I batting ranking is 40.

“No.3 is David Warner. He won the Player of the Tournament in the last men’s T20 World Cup, with the Aussies winning, and has scored some great runs for the Delhi Capitals (in the IPL) as well. He is going to have plenty of fire in his belly to make his mark in a T20 World Cup at home, so he is going to be ready to go,” he said.

Who makes the World T20I XI? Shane Watson picks his top 5 players https://t.co/DhIGh9Q5Pc

— ICC (@ICC) August 24, 2022

Explosive England opener Jos Buttler is Watson’s fourth pick. He has been in explosive form for England and the IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals this year and ranks at number 17 in ICC T20I batting rankings. “No. 4 for me is going to be Jos Buttler. During the IPL, well a lot of times anyway, no one could get him out. Four hundreds has only been done once before in an IPL, with Virat Kohli doing that (in 2016). When he is in form, and he has been in form, he is just about impossible in T20 cricket to get out,” he said.

“He can hit wherever he wants off the best bowlers in the world. And he knows Australian conditions really well, he has played the Big Bash and did very well a few years ago, when I played with him at the Sydney Thunder. So Jos Buttler is going to dominate,” he added.

Watson’s last pick is star Pakistani pacer Shaheen Afridi, who ranks 13th in ICC T20I bowling rankings. “And the last one is Shaheen Afridi. His wicket-taking ability is something special. We saw in the last men’s T20 World Cup his ability to be able to get the best batsmen out with that brand new ball. I would be very surprised if he does not really dominate in Australian conditions, with the ball swinging around and fast, bouncy wickets.

“My only little concern with him is, if he does not take wickets to start with, then he can tail off a little bit. But I am sure he has been working on that. I would be surprised if he does not dominate here,” he added.

(With ANI inputs)