5 big players not picked for T20 World Cup 2026

With most teams finalising their squads, the build-up to the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has witnessed a few surprise omissions. With most team announcing their line-ups for the tournament, to be held across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, several big-name players have been left out. Selection calls have largely been around recent form, team balance, fitness concerns, and combinations suited to subcontinental conditions.

In some cases, experienced players have missed out due to inconsistent performances. While a few players enjoying strong domestic or franchise form have also been overlooked. These absences have triggered debate among fans and experts alike about the tough choices selectors made.

Here are the 5 big players not picked for T20 World Cup 2026 squads

5. Ottneil Baartman

Despite being the most consistent fast bowler in the SA20, right-arm pacer Ottneil Baartman found himself overlooked for South Africa’s T20 World Cup squad. Baartman is the SA20’s all-time leading wicket-taker and once again topped the charts in the recently-concluded season, yet he missed out, even as South Africa have been suffering with a few injury concerns.

Baartman, who was part of the Proteas’ T20I setup in India recently and finished as one of their leading wicket-takers there, revealed that no clear communication was made to him regarding his omission. Several former cricketers, including Dale Steyn, openly questioned the decision, pointing to Baartman’s abilities.

4. Liam Livingstone

England’s decision to leave Liam Livingstone out of their provisional squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 comes following the all-rounder’s decline in returns over the last few years. Once seen as a reliable middle-order option, Livingstone has struggled for form since the 2024 T20 World Cup. In his last 13 T20I innings, he has managed just 275 runs at an average of 27.5, with only one fifty.

Notably, this omission comes despite his whopping IPL contract, where Sunrisers Hyderabad snapped him up for INR 13 crore at the IPL 2026 auction. With players like Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell giving clearer roles, selectors opted to move on from Livingstone for the marquee event.

3. Jitesh Sharma

Wicket-keeper batter Jitesh Sharma’s omission from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad was due to a tactical decision rather than his form. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that the team management prioritised having a wicketkeeper who could bat at the top of the order, which significantly influenced the final combination. While Jitesh has impressed in recent years as a lower-order finisher and a reliable wicketkeeping option, his role overlapped with players who provide similar finishing skills without occupying a specialist keeper’s slot.

India’s think tank felt that an opening wicketkeeper would provide greater flexibility in team combinations, leading to Ishan Kishan’s inclusion. Agarkar stressed that Jitesh had not done anything wrong, but the team’s preference for an opener-wicketkeeper ultimately worked against him.

 2. Haris Rauf

Pakistan recently announced its T20 World Cup 2026 squad, and the most notable omission was of pacer Haris Rauf. The decision was surprising given Rauf’s recent form in franchise cricket, where he finished as the leading wicket-taker in the Big Bash League. 

However, Rauf’s international form has worked against him. He last featured in a T20I during the Asia Cup final against India, where an expensive spell in the death overs led to the Men in Green falling short of the title. Since then, he has slipped down the pecking order.

Head coach Mike Hesson explained that conditions in Sri Lanka led Pakistan to pick only three seamers who can operate effectively in all phases of the game. With Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Salman Mirza fitting that template, Rauf narrowly missed out despite being in contention.

1. Shubman Gill

India's ODI and Test skipper Shubman Gill’s omission from the T20 World Cup squad has grabbed immense attention. For much of the build-up, Gill was seen as a certainty to be India’s vice-captain in T20Is and the first-choice opener alongside Abhishek Sharma. However, his recent performances have been underwhelming. In 15 T20Is, Gill managed just 219 runs at an average of 24.25, without a single fifty.

The selectors ultimately leaned on current form and team balance. Ishan Kishan’s brilliant Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, along with his skillset as a wicketkeeper-opener, led to his selection. Gill was left out to accommodate Rinku Singh in the middle-order and maintain the desired combination.