ISLAMABAD: With the group stage nearing its finish, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has already produced clear trends: aggressive powerplay batting, spin used earlier than ever, and associate nations delivering headline performances. Based on form and impact in the group stage so far (using the ICC’s official tournament stats as the baseline), here is a “Team of the Tournament (So Far).”
Team of the Tournament (So Far) – XI
1) Tim Seifert (New Zealand) – wicketkeeper-opener
Seifert has been the tournament’s most productive batter so far, leading the Most Runs list with 173 and also topping the Best Batting Average table. His consistency at the top has given New Zealand control in the first six overs and stability after early wickets.
2) Finn Allen (New Zealand) – opener
Allen’s inclusion is about intent and match-defining tempo. He is among the tournament’s highest individual scorers (top five for Highest Score in an innings, with 84*). He sets the standard for powerplay dominance.
3) Suryakumar Yadav (India) – captain, top-order batter
India’s captain has paired tempo with control, posting one of the tournament’s top individual scores (84*). In a World Cup, that ability to rescue an innings and still finish at pace is gold.
4) Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka) – top-order batter
Mendis sits inside the tournament’s top five run-getters so far (168), and his average is also among the best in the competition. He has been Sri Lanka’s stabiliser when wickets fall early.
5) Glenn Phillips (New Zealand) – middle-order batter
Phillips earns his place for impact innings under pressure, most notably his explosive chase against Canada alongside Rachin Ravindra, a partnership that powered New Zealand into the Super Eights. In a short tournament, match-sealing knocks matter as much as aggregates.
6) Shubham Ranjane (USA) – batting all-rounder
Ranjane is second on the tournament run charts (136) and has produced elite strike-rate value as a modern T20 all-round option. He represents one of the World Cup’s most important storylines: USA competing through fearless batting depth.
7) Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan) – seam-bowling all-rounder
If there has been one all-round performance that screamed “World Cup X-factor”, it was Omarzai against the UAE: 4/15 and 40 (21)* in a successful chase, earning him Player of the Match.
8) Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – leg-spinner
Even beyond pure match figures, Rashid has defined the tournament’s narrative by becoming the first bowler to reach 700 T20 wickets, achieved during the UAE match in Delhi. Great tournaments are remembered for moments — and 700 is one of them.
9) Shadley van Schalkwyk (USA) – fast bowler
The tournament’s leading wicket-taker so far, with 13 wickets. Any “team of the tournament” must start with the wicket leader.
10) Lungi Ngidi (South Africa) – fast bowler
Ngidi has been among the top wicket-takers with 8, delivering control and breakthroughs through the middle and death phases.
11) Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe) – fast bowler
Muzarabani has also taken 7 wickets and features prominently in the tournament’s best bowling metrics. His spells have been central to Zimbabwe’s momentum.
