ISLAMABAD: The early rounds of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have produced a familiar theme with a fresh cast: associate nations and fringe picks refusing to play the role of spectators. Tight finishes, fearless chases and standout individual performances have forced the established sides to rethink “routine” group games — and given fans a new set of names to follow.
Nepal have set the tone for the underdog surge. They pushed England to the brink in Mumbai, coming within four runs of a famous win in a chase of 185. Captain Rohit Paudel and vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee stitched together a key partnership to keep Nepal in the hunt, before Lokesh Bam’s late assault turned the match into a last-over thriller. England only escaped because Sam Curran held his nerve at the death.
In Chennai, the UAE showed they can score with intent, led by captain Muhammad Waseem, who struck an unbeaten 66 in their 173-6 against New Zealand — evidence that associate teams are no longer content with “respectable” totals. Even off the field, the tournament has thrown up compelling human stories, none more so than UAE left-arm spinner Haider Ali, whose rise from hardship to the world stage has become one of the competition’s most talked-about narratives.
Headline acts
The USA, meanwhile, have shown fight despite setbacks. Against Pakistan in Colombo, Shubham Ranjane’s half-century stood out in defeat, underlining how quickly associate batting line-ups are closing the gap.
Canada, too, have produced bright sparks against elite opposition. Opener Navneet Dhaliwal top-scored with 64 against South Africa, while Ansh Patel took three wickets — flashes of quality even as the more experienced side controlled the result.
Even tournament debutants Italy are arriving with players worth tracking. ESPNcricinfo’s build-up has highlighted Justin Mosca and Harry Manenti as key batters, while Manenti and seamer Crishan Kalugamage have been flagged as wicket-taking options — the kind of names that can turn group games into headline acts.
And Scotland continue to show their discipline travels, with left-arm spinner Mark Watt noted for keeping things tight even against West Indies’ power hitters.
The World Cup XI nobody expected (so far)
- Lokesh Bam (Nepal) – finisher with fearless hitting
- Rohit Paudel (Nepal) – captain anchoring big chases
- Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal) – momentum-shifting middle-order force
- Muhammad Waseem (UAE) – captain setting aggressive totals
- Justin Mosca (Italy) – batter tipped to lead scoring
- Harry Manenti (Italy) – all-round threat in key phases
- Shubham Ranjane (USA) – middle-order resistance under pressure
- Navneet Dhaliwal (Canada) – opener producing World Cup runs
- Mark Watt (Scotland) – control bowler who builds squeeze
- Ansh Patel (Canada) – wicket-taker against top sides
- Crishan Kalugamage (Italy) – pace option on the watchlist
With more group games to come, this “unexpected XI” will change — but the message won’t: in 2026, no one gets an easy night just because the badge on the other shirt is smaller.
