T20 World Cup 2026: Team of the Tournament

The T20 World Cup 2026 was an absolute spectacle. And the main reason was the players. They lit up the tournament with their performances.

Now, it’s time to look at the 2026 T20 World Cup’s team of the tournament. Here we go!

Sanju Samson (wk) | India

Sanju Samson wasn’t even in India’s XI for half the tournament. But he seized the moments whenever he got chances.

And the result? The Kerala wicketkeeper aggregated 321 runs in five innings at a strike rate of nearly 200! 

And most importantly, he smashed three consecutive 80-plus scores. That makes him an instant lock-in at the top.

Tim Siefert | New Zealand

Tim Siefert will be our second opener. He provided consistent starts for New Zealand. He was the main reason behind the Kiwis’ entering the final.

Siefert scored 326 runs at a strike rate of 166.32 in eight innings. His tally included four fifties, two of which came in the semi-final and the final, respectively.

Ishan Kishan | India

Imagine not even in the 15 a month before the tournament and ending it as the second-best batter. Ishan Kishan experienced these two extremes firsthand.

Kishan started as an opener and then blended well at No. 3. The thing that stood out was the rate at which he scored runs. 

He struck at 193.29 to aggregate 317 runs across nine innings. He finished just behind Samson on the run chart for India.

Shimron Hetmyer | West Indies

The West Indies struggled to get strong starts for most of the tournament. But Shimron Hetmyer made sure their run rate never dropped to drastic levels. He was the enforcer at No. 3.

The left-hander collected 248 runs at a strike rate of 186.46 in seven innings. He was also among the top six-hitters, with 19 maximums.

Hardik Pandya | India

Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder, stepped up whenever India needed him. 52 and 2 for 21 against Namibia. 2 for 16 against Pakistan. Unbeaten 50 against Zimbabwe. 

And the most notable among them all? His crucial 27 off 12 and 2 for 38 against England in the semi-final. Having such a reliable player is no less than a luxury.

Shivam Dube | India

Shivam Dube may not have the finest footwork for a batter, but very few batters match his power-hitting.

And that came to the fore in this tournament. Dube was consistent with his finishing, ensuring India sailed through every game.

He struck 248 runs at 186.46 in seven innings. He also chipped in with the ball whenever the captain called him in.

Will Jacks | England

Will Jacks missed out on the Player of the Tournament award by a whisker. But that takes nothing away from his all-round performance.

He was England’s saviour throughout the tournament. Need runs lower down the order? He scored. Need wickets? He delivered with his off-spin.

Jacks capped off the tournament with 226 runs at a strike rate of 176.56 and took nine wickets across eight games.

Jason Holder | West Indies

Jason Holder is another player who proved his all-round worth. He delivered equally well in all three departments.

Holder completely outclassed Scotland and Nepal with the ball. And then made England, South Africa and India sweat with his batting.

In all, Holder hammered 141 runs at 174.07 and fetched 10 wickets in seven matches.

Adil Rashid | England

Adil Rahid is the frontline spinner, with 13 wickets in eight matches. He pipped Varun Chakravarthy, thanks to his superior consistency.

Except for the game against Nepal, Rashid picked up at least a wicket in each of the remaining seven matches. His most notable spells came against the West Indies (2/16) and Sri Lanka (2/13).

Jasprit Bumrah | India

Zero surprises here. Jasprit Bumrah walks in directly as the lead pacer. His ability to bowl in any conditions makes him an absolute beast.

And it was evident throughout the tournament. Powerplay, middle overs and death. He controlled the match flow in every phase.

That’s the reason why he finished as the top wicket-taker, with 14 scalps at an impressive economy rate of 6.21 in eight innings.

Lungi Ngidi | South Africa

Lungi Ngidi is our second fast bowler in the XI. He hit the right chords at the right moment with his variations.

Ngidi started with excellent spells against Canada (4/31) and Afghanistan (3/26). Then he continued the momentum right through the Super Eights to finish with 12 wickets in seven matches.

12th Man: Shadley van Schalkwyk | USA

The USA exited after the group stage. But Shadley van Schalkwyk was the top wicket-taker before the final kicked off.

This tells you how good the right-arm pacer was in the group stage. He claimed 13 wickets in just four matches. And the best part? He picked up four-wicket hauls against India and Pakistan!

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