All-time men’s T20 World Cup XI

The T20 format’s success has led to several franchise-based leagues across the globe. With rankings of 86 teams available on the International Cricket Council (ICC) website, it’s safe to say that it’s the most popular format.

After an absence of five long years, the T20 World Cup finally returns for its seventh edition. Ahead of the tournament, we dig out numbers and context to put together the ultimate T20 World Cup XI, focusing on consistent performers, better balance, and more bowling options.

Also read: Ultimate ODI side of the 21st century | Ultimate Test side of the 21st century

Picking XI from the plethora of great performers is a task, and some big names are bound to miss out.

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The Ultimate T20 World Cup XI

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Chris Gayle (West Indies)

2007-16

T20Is 28 | Runs 920 | HS 117 | Ave 40 | SR 146.7 | 100s 2 | 50s 7

Wickets 9 | BB 2/17 | Ave 28.66 | Econ 7.44

Chris Gayle is arguably the greatest T20 batter. He set the inaugural T20 World Cup alight in 2007 by slamming the first-ever T20I century in the very first game. He clobbered a fine South African attack consisting of Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander.

In 2012, Chris Gayle’s 41-ball 75 against Australia in the semi-final powered West Indies to the final, which his team ultimately won. In 2016, he got the Windies off to a brilliant start, slamming his second hundred in a T20 World Cup and guiding his side to a six-wicket win over England, a team they ended up beating in the final.

Chris Gayle has also been a more than handy off-spinner. Even as a 42-year-old, he remains one of the key players for the defending champions West Indies in the upcoming 2021 T20 World Cup.

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Virat Kohli (India)

2012-16

T20Is 16 | Runs 777 | HS 89* | Ave 86.33 | SR 133 | 50s 9

Virat Kohli may not have won a T20 World Cup, but he has two Player of the Tournament awards to boast about. His superlative batting shows helped India reach the final in the 2014 edition and the semis in 2016. He ranks his unbeaten 51-ball 82 against Australia in Mohali in a virtual quarter-final in 2016 as his favorite knock of his illustrious career.

Virat Kohli has nine scores in excess of 50 from 16 T20 World Cup innings. He will be leading India for the first and last time in a T20 World Cup in 2021.

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Kevin Pietersen (England)

2007-10

T20Is 15 | Runs 580 | HS 79 | Ave 44.61 | SR 148.3 | 50s 4

Kevin Pietersen was brilliant in all three editions of the T20 World Cup that he played. He guided England to their first ICC tournament win in the 2010 T20 World Cup after they beat arch-rivals Australia in the final. His 31-ball 47 in the summit clash ensured England were home with three overs to spare. Fittingly, he was adjudged the Player of the Tournament.

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AB de Villiers (South Africa) – Wicketkeeper

2007-16

T20Is 30 | Runs 715 | HS 79* | Ave 29.87 | SR 143.4 | 50s 5

In what was a tricky selection, AB de Villiers made the cut as a wicketkeeper-batter ahead of Jos Buttler, MS Dhoni, Brendon McCullum and Adam Gilchrist.

While Jos Buttler and Brendon McCullum have better numbers as wicketkeeper-batters, their overall T20 World Cup numbers aren’t as good as the South African legend. MS Dhoni’s strike rate of 123.9 rules him out, while Adam Gilchrist has played just one edition and only six matches.

After a dismal campaign in the 2007 edition, AB de Villiers was brilliant in England in 2009, striking at 155. In the 2014 and 2016 editions, he scored the bulk of runs for his team and got them at a strike rate of 163.3 and 180.3, respectively.

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Mike Hussey (Australia)

2007-12

T20Is 21 | Runs 437 | HS 60* | Ave 54.62 | SR 139.6 | 50s 2

After two quiet T20 World Cups in 2007 and 2009, Mike Hussey came on his own from the third edition and remained brilliant in the fourth too. His finest hour came during the 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan.

Needing 34 off the final two overs, Mike Hussey’s onslaught against Mohammad Amir and Saeed Ajmal saw Australia home as the southpaw completed one of the greatest finishes and remained unbeaten on 60 off just 24 balls.

Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)

2007-16

T20Is 34 | Runs 546 | HS 54* | Ave 18.82 | SR 154.2 |

Wickets 39 | BB 4/11 | Ave 23.25 | Econ 6.71

Invaluable to this format, Shahid Afridi was the Player of the Tournament in the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. Two years later, he slammed back-to-back fifties to help Pakistan win the tournament. A game-changer with the bat and the highest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cups, the former Pakistani all-rounder is the easiest pick in the illustrious side.

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Darren Sammy (West Indies) – Captain

2009-16

T20Is 25 | Runs 215 | HS 42* | Ave 17.91 | SR 164.1 |

Wickets 11 | BB 3/8 | Ave 28 | Econ 6.89

A choice that may surprise many, but Darren Sammy isn’t just there in the side because he’s the only captain with two T20 World Cup titles. There’s more to the St Lucian in terms of cricketing abilities.

Apart from being a fantastic leader, he’s the bits and pieces all-rounder a T20 side needs. He had a good tournament with the ball in the 2010 edition in the West Indies, picking up six wickets at an average of 12 and an economy rate of 5.26. He’s the third pacer and sixth bowling option this illustrious side needs.

Taking a cut-off of 200 runs, his strike rate of 164.1 is the highest for all batters in all T20 World Cups. Of course, Darren Sammy also leads the side.

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Umar Gul (Pakistan)

2007-14

T20Is 24 | Wickets 35 | BB 5/6 | Ave 17.25 | Econ 7.3 | 5w 1

Umar Gul’s heroics with the ball helped Pakistan finish runners-up in 2007 and champions in 2009. Although he didn’t have a good 2010 edition with the ball, he won Pakistan a game against South Africa with the bat, slamming a 17-ball 32. In 2014, he went for over nine an over, but was still the team’s highest wicket-taker.

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Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)

2007-14

T20Is 31 | Wickets 38 | BB 5/31 | Ave 20.07 | Econ 7.43 | 5w 1

It was a very close call between Lasith Malinga and Dale Steyn, with the former just managing to make the cut because he was more consistent in all the editions he played in. The South African has better overall numbers and was phenomenal in all the editions except for 2016.

Lasith Malinga’s brilliance helped Sri Lanka finish runners-up in 2009 and 2012. In 2014, he had another good tournament and led the nation to their maiden T20 World Cup triumph.

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Samuel Badree (West Indies)

2012-16

T20Is 15 | Wickets 24 | BB 4/15 | Ave 13.58 | Econ 5.52

Despite making a late entry into international cricket, Samuel Badree made an everlasting impact by becoming one of West Indies’ key players to help them lift the World Cups in 2012 and 2016. Listed as a leg-spinner, his strength lies in his accuracy, and he opened the bowling for the West Indies regularly. He hasn’t gone over six an over in all of the three editions that he played.

Samuel Badree was the unsung hero of the 2016 World Cup final against England, returning with figures of 4-0-16-2 and claiming the key wickets of Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan.

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Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan)

2009-14

T20Is 23 | Wickets 36 | BB 4/19 | Ave 16.86 | Econ 6.79

Saeed Ajmal edged out Ajantha Mendis and Ravichandran Ashwin for the off-spinner's place in the side. He remains the second-most prolific spinner in the tournament history and claimed a four-wicket haul in each of the three editions between 2009 and 2012.

Saeed Ajmal starred in Pakistan’s victorious campaign in 2009 and was the joint-most successful spinner in the tournament alongside Ajantha Mendis with 12 wickets.

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All-time men’s T20 World Cup XI: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, Kevin Pietersen, AB de Villiers (wk), Mike Hussey, Shahid Afridi, Darren Sammy (c), Umar Gul, Lasith Malinga, Saeed Ajmal, Samuel Badree

12th man: Dale Steyn