Unpicked ICC World T20 2016 XI

Viewers around the world are excited at the prospect of seeing their favourite heroes in action in the ICC World T20 this year in India. But a lot of our favourite cricketers are slated to miss out on the high-profile tournament through injuries or exclusion from their national squads. Let us look at some of the most promising players who were fit and available for selection but were overlooked by the selectors. Here is the unpicked World T20 XI. This team looks frighteningly strong on paper! Do you think this can beat the best teams in the world right now?

#1 Luke Wright

The T20 specialist is not part of England’s side

The resurgence of the England team is primarily due to young, swashbuckling cricketers who play fearless cricket. A veteran having played almost 250 T20s, Luke Wright's omission has raised a few eyebrows. Though he has not played for England for a couple of years now, he has been in prolific form in T20 leagues around the world.

Considered to be a T20 specialist who can hit the ball a long way and provide fast starts, Wright could have been a great choice for England at least as a backup opener. England have chosen to go in with James Vince whose inexperience makes the choice questionable. Wright could have an exciting player to have in the squad.

#2 Dwayne Smith

Smith does not make it to the Windies team

Dwayne Smith remains a notable exclusion from the West Indies squad for the ICC World T20. The West Indies are missing a few players through injuries but still remain a formidable outfit that can challenge any team in the shortest format of the game.

Smith's exclusion, however, remains strange as he can be a dangerous batsman and a reliable all-rounder in T20 cricket. Having opened the batting successfully for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL and won the Man of the Match award in the final of the PSL, Smith is an in-form player that West Indies have chosen to overlook for the tournament.

#3 Khurram Manzoor

Khurram was dropped at the last moment

Khurram Manzoor was originally set to be a part of the Pakistani squad for the ICC World T20 was replaced by Ahmed Shehzad at the last minute. Shehzad had been dropped for an indifferent run of form but his good performances in the PSL helped him win back his place in the side.

Manzoor failed to impress in the Asia Cup and the lack of experience in the Pakistani top-order convinced the selectors to fall back on Manzoor. "The inclusion of Khurram backfired and as a chief selector I take full responsibility," Haroon Rasheed told ESPNcricinfo.

"Call it an error of judgement or whatever, but we all have seen him scoring runs in domestic cricket and we gave him a chance. He didn't grab it, it's up to the player to justify his selection and in his case he didn't. We gambled on [Shoaib] Malik last year and it paid off."

#4 Kevin Pietersen (captain)

Pietersen’s experience could have been vital for England

Considered to be one of the most dashing and prolific batsmen the world has seen, Kevin Pietersen's career was cut short due to disciplinary issues. Pietersen remained one of the bad boys of English cricket having frequent run-ins with the ECB during his career.

His differences with the board ultimately proved to be irreconcilable as he seems to have been shown the door once and for all. Pietersen has remained in extraordinary form by plying his trade in T20 leagues around the world. It is a shame that we will not get to watch a batsman of his calibre in the ICC World T20.

#5 Manish Pandey

The big hitter is not part of India’s squad

Indian cricket has had its fair share of unlucky batsmen who have faded away into oblivion for the lack of chances to make it to the first team. Manish Pandey seems to be one of them. Having been in and out of the side, his scintillating, match-winning knock against Australia in the 5th ODI seemed to have confirmed his place in the side.

But he was overlooked for the T20 series after that and has failed to make it to the squad for the ICC World T20. A genuine batsman with his ability to finish off matches, Pandey would have been a great addition to the squad. But too many top order batsmen and the selectors' preference for all-rounders meant that Pandey ultimately did not make the cut.

#6 Matthew Wade (wicket-keeper)

Wade behind the stumps against South Africa

Till not so long ago, Matthew Wade was the first choice wicket-keeper for Australia in ODIs and T20s. But he seems to have paid the price for his indifferent form with the bat and poor glovework behind the stumps. The Australian selectors have instead chosen to go for Peter Neville who has been putting in good performances for the Aussies in Test matches.

Neville is now considered to be a better keeper than Wade by the Australian selectors. Though Neville has batted commendably in the Tests, no one knows if he can be an aggressive batsman like Wade. Wade's positive stroke-play was a big advantage for Australia but he had to pay the price for his poor form.

#7 Irfan Pathan

Pathan hasn’t been in form for a while

Once considered India's most promising all-rounder, Irfan Pathan has been languishing in ignominy for some time now. If Nehra can make a comeback at the age of 36 and Yuvraj Singh is lucky enough to be rewarded for his good domestic performances, Pathan's omission continues to be unexplainable.

Pathan rolled back the clock with a series of eye-catching performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year. Despite popular perception, India chose to go in with the in-form Hardik Pandya and an extra spinning all-rounder in Pawan Negi. But Pathan will be seriously wondering if he can ever make a comeback now.

#8 Nathan Lyon

Lyon’s spin could have been key for Australia

Though Australia are admittedly weak in the spin department, Nathan Lyon has been their primary choice for some time now. A period of indifferent form has seen Lyon axed from the squad for the ICC World T20.

The Aussies have instead chosen to go in with left-armer Ashton Ager and leg-spinner Adam Zampa none of whom have made their T20 debuts yet. That means Australia will have to depend on two inexperienced frontline spinners and Maxwell and Steve Smith for backup. The omission of Lyon might prove to be a serious mistake in the end.

#9 Morne Morkel

Morne’s exclusion was a surprise for all

One of the most surprising exclusions for the ICC World T20 this year is Morne Morkel. Though Morkel has not been in the T20 set-up since last August, his inclusion would not have been surprising as Dale Steyn also is about to make a comeback to the T20 team after a couple of years.

South Africa has chosen to go in with a revamped pace attack in the form of Kagiso Rabada and Kyle Abbott alongside Steyn. But given Morkel's experience in the sub-continental conditions, his exclusion remains baffling. Cricket lovers are surely going to miss the evergreen Steyn-Morkel bowling partnership in the tournament.

#10 Matt Henry

New Zealand did not select the talented youngster

Matt Henry is one of the unluckiest cricketers to have been repeatedly overlooked by the Kiwi selectors. At 24, Henry has promising pace and has shown glimpses of possibly turning into one of the most potent fast bowling weapons for the Kiwis in the future.

He has been in great form in the series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan having taken 10 wickets from the last four ODIs he has played in. But the selectors chose to leave him out for having a better-balanced squad. Henry's express pace could have roughed up a few batsmen in the ICC World T20 but we will have to wait longer to see him in action again.

#11 Shaun Tait

The speedster will not be going to India

Shaun Tait and Shane Watson were given a lifeline by Australia as they were included in the T20 series against India. While Watson performed well and grabbed his opportunity with both hands, Tait put in a lacklustre performance losing his chances of making it to the ICC World T20.

Without Mitchell Johnson having retired and Mitchell Starc out injured, Tait would have still been a welcome addition to the squad. Coming on the back of a good Big Bash season, Tait's slingy action and express pace could have been a handful.

But of late, he was been off the radar with his line and length. His indiscipline and erratic form have made the Australians selectors think twice and he must have been a cautious exclusion from the squad.