T20 World Cup team of the tournament: Who joins Jos Buttler and Adam Zampa in our XI?

The Cricketer looks back on the best performances from the 2021 men's T20 World Cup

Jos Buttler (England, wk)

6 matches, 269 runs, 89.66 average, 151.12 strike rate, 101* HS

After scoring an unbeaten 32-ball 71 against Australia, Jos Buttler was already a worthy contender for this XI. However, he cemented his place with his 101 not out against Sri Lanka – his first T20I century, producing an innings which showcased patience and devastating aggression in equal measure (he took 45 balls to score his fifty and a further 22 to reach three figures). No one scored more than his 13 sixes during the tournament while he was also largely solid, if not spectacular, with the gloves.

David Warner (Australia)

7 matches, 289 runs, 48.16 average, 146.70 strike rate, 89* HS

The player of the tournament, David Warner arrived in the UAE with little game time under his belt and started slowly against South Africa, scoring just 14 runs. However, he returned to form against Sri Lanka, blasting 65 runs from 42 balls, before scoring two half-centuries (either side of a 49) in his final three innings to help Australia to the title. Only Babar Azam (who we’ll hear more about shortly) scored more than his 289 runs while no one could match his 42 boundaries (32 fours, 10 sixes).

Babar Azam (Pakistan, captain)

6 matches, 303 runs, 60.60 average, 126.25 strike rate, 70 HS

The tournament’s leading run-scorer and one of the players who can consider themselves most unlucky to have missed out on the final. Babar Azam scored four half-centuries, more than anyone else in the tournament, and failed to pass 30 on just one occasion (nine versus New Zealand). His best innings? The 152-run stand with Mohammad Rizwan (himself unfortunate to miss out on this XI) to help Pakistan thrash India by 10 wickets.

^{Mitchell Marsh (left) and David Warner (right)}

Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)

6 matches, 231 runs, 46.20 average, 147.13 strike rate, 80* HS

He was deemed surplus to requirements in two of Sri Lanka’s matches and scored just six against Netherlands, but Charith Asalanka came alive in the Super 12s to finish the tournament as his side’s top scorer – and fifth in the overall standings. The 24-year-old thrashed two rapid half-centuries against Bangladesh and West Indies while his lowest score in the Super 12s was 21. Sri Lanka’s white-ball future looks promising with the 24-year-old in the top four.

Mitchell Marsh (Australia)

6 matches, 185 runs, 61.66 average, 146.82 strike rate, 77* HS

Mitchell Marsh was written off by many early on in the tournament (including by this writer) and was briefly dropped for Ashton Agar during the Super 12s. However, at the business end of the tournament he proved his worth, scoring a 32-ball 53 against West Indies to secure qualification for the last four before saving his best performance – 77 not out off 50 – for the final to win the World Cup for Australia and deservedly collect the player of the match award. Consider his doubters silenced.

Najibullah Zadran (Afghanistan)

5 innings, 172 runs, 34.40 average, 135.43 strike rate, 73 HS

Several players were in the running for this position, with England’s Moeen Ali, Pakistan’s Asif Ali, Aiden Markram (South Africa) and David Wiese (Namibia) all considered. However, for his boundary-laden 73 (48 balls) in the crucial New Zealand match as his fellow batters fell away and a crushing half-century against Scotland, Najibullah Zadran gets the nod. He oozed raw power against the Black Caps, taking apart one of the best bowling attacks with ease, and was the only Afghan batter to pass fifty in the tournament.

^{Wanindu Hasaranga celebrating a wicket against South Africa}

Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

8 matches, 119 runs, 23.80 average, 148.75 strike rate, 71 HS, 16 wickets, 9.75 average, 5.20 economy, 3-9 best figures

The tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets from 30 overs and the second-best economy (5.20) of any player to bowl more than 15 overs – Jasprit Bumrah (18.4 overs) conceded just 5.08 runs per six balls. Wanindu Hasaranga failed to take a wicket in just one of his eight innings and picking up three three-fors along the way. He also excelled with the bat, scoring 119 runs and a half-century against Ireland. His best performance came against England in the Super 12s where he took 3 for 21 and conceded just two boundaries before scoring a quickfire 34 from 21 balls.

Adam Zampa (Australia)

7 matches, 13 wickets, 12.07 average, 5.81 economy, 5-19 best figures

Speaking after the final, Glenn Maxwell described Adam Zampa as a "superstar" but that description barely scratches the surface. The leg-spinner took 5 for 19 against Bangladesh to record the best figures by an Australian bowler at a T20 World Cup, took the joint-second most wickets in the tournament and conceded more than a-run-a-ball just twice in seven innings. Arguably T20 cricket’s premier spinner.

Josh Hazlewood (Australia)

7 matches, 11 wickets, 15.9 average, 7.29 economy, 4-39 best figures

Another competitive berth, with South African’s Anrich Nortje and Dwaine Pretorius and Scotland’s Mark Watt all considered for selection. However, Josh Hazlewood gets the nod after key spells against West Indies (4 for 39) and New Zealand (3 for 16) at the back end of the tournament. Australia’s best bowler in the final and their second-best bowler in the tournament after Zampa.

^{Trent Boult}

Trent Boult (New Zealand)

7 matches, 12 wickets, 13.30 average, 6.25 economy, 3-17 best figures

New Zealand and world cricket’s leading powerplay and death bowler. Trent Boult, the swing king, took at least one wicket in every match bar one – a rare off-day against England – in the tournament and was on fire in two of New Zealand’s crunch matches, taking 3 for 17 against Afghanistan and the wickets of Aaron Finch and Warner in the final. The jewel in the Black Caps’ bowling attack.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)

6 matches, 7 wickets, 24.14 average, 7.04 economy, 3-31 best figures

He doesn’t have the numbers to match some of the other bowlers in the competition but Shaheen Shah Afridi, playing in his first T20 World Cup, gifted us the one of the moments of the tournament when he ripped through Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli to tee-up Pakistan’s famous win. He was also masterful against Australia’s top order, removing Finch for a first-ball duck and was unfortunate to be on the receiving end of Matthew Wade later in that match. A very bright talent.