ICC T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on February 7. A total of 20 teams will compete in the tournament, and 15 nations have already announced their squads.
USA, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and UAE are the only teams yet to name their final 15-member line-ups. Amid the squad announcements, several big names have surprisingly missed out.
Here’s a look at five star players who failed to make it into their respective T20 World Cup squads.
Tristan Stubbs (South Africa)
The talented right-hander featured in South Africa’s squad during the 2024 World Cup and even toured India in December. Despite his potential, Stubbs was left out of South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad this time.
Steve Smith (Australia)
Steve Smith has been in outstanding touch in T20 cricket, recently smashing a century in the Big Bash League. Across two BBL seasons, he has scored 383 runs in just seven matches, including two hundreds and two fifties. Even so, Australia opted not to recall him for the T20 World Cup.
Shubman Gill (India)
Gill’s omission came as a major surprise. The Indian batter was the vice-captain of the T20 side and was widely expected to be a certainty for the World Cup. Gill currently captains India in ODIs and Tests, making his exclusion even more shocking.
Liam Livingstone (England)
One of England’s most destructive T20 players, Livingstone boasts a strike rate of 149 in T20Is. He has also scored a century and taken 33 wickets in 60 matches, along with having solid experience playing in Indian conditions. Despite this, he didn’t find a place in England’s squad.
Joe Burns (Italy)
Former Australian cricketer Joe Burns played a key role in Italy qualifying for the T20 World Cup for the first time, serving as captain during the qualifiers. However, due to unresolved availability and contract-related issues, he was left out of the final squad.
