Last Updated on 1 month ago by Charbel Coorey
The 2026 T20 World Cup delivered outstanding performances from players across teams and conditions. Picking a “Team of the Tournament” is never easy, especially when balancing raw numbers with the actual impact players had on their team’s fortunes.
Here is my team of the T20 World Cup 2026.
2026 T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament: Who makes the cut?
Sanju Samson (wk)
There is no debate about the first opener. Sanju Samson walks into this team as the Player of the Tournament, despite playing just five games.
Samson finished with 321 runs at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, producing one of the greatest T20 World Cup campaigns by a batter.
His inclusion in India’s XI transformed their fortunes. Not only did he add a right-hander at the top of the order, helping a struggling Indian side against off-spin, but he also set the tone each time he batted, hitting a six in the very first over in four of his five innings — particularly important, and often overlooked, in easing nerves in knockout matches. Samson now holds the record for most sixes in an edition (24).
Sahibzada Farhan
The second opener was much harder to pick, with multiple options in contention.
- Sahibzada Farhan: 383 runs | 76.6 AVG | 160.25 SR
- Tim Seifert: 326 runs | 46.57 AVG | 166.32 SR
- Finn Allen: 298 runs | 49.66 AVG | 200 SR
- Brian Bennett: 292 runs | 146 AVG | 134.56 SR
- Aiden Markram: 286 runs | 47.66 AVG | 165.31 SR
It is important to note that all of Farhan’s matches were played in Sri Lanka, where he almost single-handedly carried a struggling Pakistan batting unit, making him a top choice. He was dismissed in the Powerplay only once, averaging 148. His tally of 383 runs is the most ever scored in a single edition of the men’s T20 World Cup.
But if someone wants pure explosiveness, Finn Allen is the pick. No player who faced at least 50 balls in the Powerplay in this tournament had a higher strike rate than Allen, and no one hit more Powerplay sixes either.
Ishan Kishan
Kishan began the tournament as an opener, scoring 176 runs at an average of 35.2 and a strike rate of 193.4, including a crucial half-century against Pakistan. He then seamlessly moved to No. 3, adding another 141 runs at an average of 35.25 and a strike rate of 193.15, including a half-century in the final.
No one scored at a higher strike rate than his 214.71 in the middle overs (7-16). Ishan was the highest-impact batter as per ESPNcricinfo’s MVP list.
Shimron Hetmyer
If Ishan was the quickest run-scorer in the middle overs, Hetmyer was the second fastest, striking at 207.61. He was also the second-highest run-scorer in that phase with 191 runs, second only to Sahibzada Farhan (197).
Hetmyer absolutely demolished spin, scoring 147 runs — the joint second-highest in the tournament after Brook (150) — at a strike rate of 249.15. No one hit more sixes against spin than Hetmyer’s 15.
Hardik Pandya
It was between Hardik and Sikandar Raza for this spot. While both had fine tournaments with the bat, scoring 200+ runs at a strike rate above 160, Hardik’s exploits with the ball put him ahead.
No one bowled more overs at the death (17-20) than Hardik’s eight, where he conceded runs at under 10 an over. The penultimate over in the semi-final against England — where he conceded just nine runs and took a wicket — immediately comes to mind. He also bowled ten overs in the Powerplay, going at 8 RPO.
Shivam Dube
Walking in during difficult situations and producing high-impact knocks with remarkable consistency across positions, Shivam Dube had a tournament to remember.
Will Jacks
England possibly wouldn’t have made the semi-finals without Will Jacks’ contributions with both bat and ball.
He bailed them out of trouble several times, scoring 226 runs at an average of 56.5 and a strike rate of 176.56. No batter has ever scored more runs in a single edition of the T20 World Cup batting at No. 6 or lower.
Add to that his more-than-handy off-spin, which proved especially useful in Sri Lankan conditions, as he picked up nine wickets in the tournament.
Although Samson pipped him to the Player of the Tournament award, he finished firmly at the top of ESPNcricinfo’s MVP standings.
Jason Holder
After a record-breaking 2025, in which Holder clearly showed improvements — especially in his hitting ability, smashing 63 sixes and 48 fours — he proved himself on the biggest stage, scoring 141 runs at a strike rate of 174.07, including impactful cameos against England, South Africa, and India.
He also took 10 wickets with the ball at an economy rate of 8.86.
Adil Rashid
The joint second-highest wicket-taker of the competition, the 38-year-old Adil Rashid bowled slower and fuller than any other spinner, getting the ball to hang in the air, dip sharply due to the revs imparted, and then turn significantly — almost taking us back to a time before the quick wrist-spin era.
He held his own even in high-scoring matches, such as against West Indies and India at the Wankhede.
Jasprit Bumrah (c)
Does this name even need any explanation? Quite simply the best in the world, and possibly the greatest bowler to have ever played the game.
Though he didn’t lead India in this tournament, he will captain my team — because why not? I genuinely think he’s a natural leader and has a very sane head on his shoulders.
Lungi Ngidi
The final spot is down to a choice between Lungi Ngidi and USA’s Shadley van Schalkwyk.
Despite playing just four matches, with his team eliminated before the Super Eights, Shadley stayed atop the wicket-taking charts until the final innings of the tournament.
He picked up 13 wickets at an average of 7.76 and an economy rate of 6.80, performing across a variety of conditions ranging from the Wankhede in India to Colombo in Sri Lanka.
On the other hand, in a tournament where off-pace proved highly effective, Lungi Ngidi was the seamer with the best off-pace delivery on show. He picked up 12 wickets at an average of 15.58 and an economy rate of 7.19 and was clearly the Proteas’ standout bowler in what was a dominant run until the semi-final.
T20 World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Ishan Kishan
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Hardik Pandya
- Shivam Dube
- Will Jacks
- Jason Holder
- Adil Rashid
- Jasprit Bumrah (c)
- Lungi Ngidi
