ICC World T20 2016: 5 best cricketers who were not picked in their national squads

All the squads for the ICC World T20 2016 have been announced and there are plenty of players who would have been thrilled to be picked for their country for the first time. While there were also plenty of others who were deprived of a comeback into the side.With the tournament in India, many teams have picked their squad expecting the conditions and pitches to be loaded in favour of the spinners and while that may or may not prove to be the case, one thing is for certain, some players missed out because of that.Others missed out simply because they were deemed surplus to requirements. Here are the 5 best cricketers who have not been picked for ICC World T20 2016:

#5 Irfan Pathan

Pathan's performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament was commendable

Despite being 31 and not having played for India in over 3 years, in his recent form, Irfan Pathan, one of India’s star performers in the inaugural World T20, deserved a spot in the Indian squad for the tournament.

While it is true that India now have a settled line-up in the T20Is, ever since their tour to Australia, the fact that they don't have a back-up in the seaming all-rounder slot is an issue that wouldn’t have risen had Irfan been picked. Hardik Pandya might be a younger version of Pathan but given the 31-year-old’s experience, he would have proved to be an invaluable asset, even if it was just on the sidelines.

Irfan’s performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament prompted many to talk about his potential comeback for the World T20, unfortunately, they were disappointed as India chose to go with an extra spinning all-rounder who is uncapped instead of a seaming all-rounder with a ton of experience under his belt.

#4 Luke Wright

An in-form Wright was overlooked in favour of James Vince

Despite last playing for his country almost two years ago, Luke Wright had as good a chance as any to make a comeback into the England squad for the World T20 in India. The swashbuckling opener has been in splendid form and has become a seasoned veteran ever since he started travelling around the world playing T20s in various countries.

After almost 250 T20 matches, Wright has an average of almost 30 and strike rate in excess of 145. For an opener, whose primary job in this format is to provide fast starts, those numbers are incredible and should have warranted a selection for the World T20.

Yet unlike another Englishman who has been playing various domestic T20 tournaments, he was overlooked in favour of James Vince, an inexperienced Hampshire opener, who will serve as back-up for Jason Roy and Alex Hales. While Wright may not have deserved the opening slot outright, he certainly deserved a place in the side and his impressive record in the format makes him one player England will certainly miss.

#3 Matt Henry

Henry picked up 10 wickets in the last four ODIs he has played

There can be little doubt that at 24, Matt Henry has the potential to develop into one of the most threatening pace bowlers of not just his country, but his generation as well. Aside from wickets, if there is one thing that has characterised his international career so far, it has been how unlucky he has been.

In both the series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Henry was the most threatening bowler on either side, still he didn’t get to feature in all of the matches of the series. Despite picking up 10 wickets in his last four ODIs and being in the form of his life, Henry was absent from the Black Caps squad for the World T20.

While the selector admitted that balance was the main reason the 24-year-old didn't make the cut, his incredible recent form should have gotten preference over the experienced core of pacers. Given they are already without their destructive opener Brendon McCullum, the Kiwis needed all the help they could get, but unfortunately Henry's absence deprives them of that and only time will tell if it was the right call.

#2 Kevin Pietersen

Pietersen has the necessary experience required to play in Indian conditions

Almost 1200 runs in just 37 T20I matches at an average of almost 38 and a strike rate in excess of 140 almost assures most players of a permanent spot on their national side. Unfortunately, when your name is Kevin Pietersen, none of these records seem to matter, as England once again decided to overlook the right-hander as they picked their squad for the World T20 in March.

While there is little doubt that the current crop of English players, who were selected for the tournament are of a higher quality than in the recent past, one thing most of them lack is the experience of playing in India. Even Joe Root, England’s best batsman, isn’t at home in India, due to his lack of game time in those conditions.

Unfortunately for the 35-year-old, even impressive performances in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge, the Big Bash League and the ongoing Pakistan Super League wasn’t enough to sway the minds of the English selectors, who seem intent on condemning one of the world’s finest batsmen of the opportunity to play for his country due to his past.

Will England pay for that or can the young crop claim the country’s second world title? Only time will tell.

#1 Morne Morkel

Not selecting Morkel for the World T20 might be a big mistake

Despite his impressive performances in the IPL, Morne Morkel found no place in the South African squad for the World T20. Instead, Dale Steyn, who hasn't played a T20I in almost two years returns to the squad in his place, despite his recent injury record and the rest of the frontline pacers are Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott.

Although Morkel has not been part of the T20 set-up since the series against New Zealand last August, his experience of Indian conditions, where he has flourished in the IPL would have proved invaluable, but the South African selectors went for a new-look pace attack with Steyn and not Morkel spearheading the attack.

While his brother Albie Morkel, with his all-round abilities, could also have made it into the side, the Proteas preference for more spinning options meant he too didn’t make it but given his track record in the format and in India, there is no doubt who might prove to be the costlier mistake.