Vaibhav AroraIn the times of fast food, when the world is getting faster by the passing minute, Twenty20 cricket seems to be the perfect gift for people seeking instant thrill and some adrenaline pumping action.
It may not be a dose of complete sensory gratification for the orthodox cricket lover, who still likes to see the batsman cream bowlers through the covers with his foot nicely to the pitch of the ball. Having said that, Twenty20 has certainly revolutionized the game of cricket with shots like the ‘switch hit’ and ‘slog sweep’.
After the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa back in 2007 and the just concluded second season of the Indian Premier League that saw outstanding performances from a bouquet full of young players, the T20 competitions have somewhat assumed a reputation of showcasing youngsters who until now, were considered novices on the international circuit.
Here we take a look at a few young (and some not so young) players, who could make a gargantuan impact in the upcoming Twenty20 cricket World Cup 2009:
Suresh Raina (India) One of the most consistent batsmen for India in Twenty20 cricket, Raina has also emerged as the highest Indian run scorer in the just concluded Indian Premier League-2 in South Africa. His ability to strike clean blows as well as his prowess as a fielder make him a complete package, which if in full flow, will go a long way in ensuring that India retains the T20 title.
Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan) 17-year old Ahmed Shehzad is another young and talented player, who has generated high hopes for Pakistan cricket amidst all the turmoil it has gone through in recent years. The destructive right hander gave a glimpse of oodles of his talent during his brief stay in the practice game against India.
Shakib al Hasan (Bangladesh) For a player from Bangladesh, who are still considered beginners in international cricket despite having played over 50 Test matches, to be ranked as the number one all-rounder in the ICC ODI rankings is no mean achievement. Shakib has scored two ODI hundreds and also played a crucial role in his team’s win over West Indies in the 2007 tourney. He will need more than just a bit of help from his team-mates if Bangladesh are to pose a challenge to the top teams.
Rohit Sharma (India) No matter how much you watch him, you never seem to have enough of his sublime cricketing strokes that take Twenty20 to an altogether different level. As part of India’s Twenty20 squad that won the inaugural World Cup in South Africa, Rohit displayed his potential with a crucial half-ton to help India outsmart the home team. He was also among the highest run getters in both the seasons of IPL, reiterating his position as an established T20 batsman.
David Warner (Australia) 22-year old Warner shot into limelight when he bludgeoned 89 runs off just 43 deliveries on his T20 international debut against South Africa, an innings that also earned him a contract with the Delhi Daredevils team in the Indian Premier League. Although Warner is a bit short on experience with just six T20 internationals under his belt, but his immense talent and ability to clear the field with tremendous ease has led many to call him the next big thing.
Yusuf Abdulla (South Africa) Although he has played just one Twenty20 international, Yusuf Abdulla has already started creating ripples in the international cricket circuit, especially after his outstanding show in the second season of the Indian Premier League. His slower delivery and lethal yorkers, which he has used to good effect so far in his career, are perfectly suited to contain the batsmen in the slam-bang version of the game.
Dirk Nannes (Netherlands) The wily pacer from Netherlands impressed everybody with his penetrating pace and nagging accuracy in the IPL-2, claiming 15 wickets. Nannes, who played for Victoria, opted to represent Netherlands after he was overlooked by Cricket Australia for the T20 World Cup squad. The 33 year old bowler has shown a lot of promise and if he finds his form, it could be bad news for the batsmen.
