Lucknow Super Giants

IPL 2024 may be over but the cricket and Super Giants favour certainly isn’t! The T20 Cricket World Cup 2024, to be co-hosted by the West Indies and USA, gets underway in June 2.

Seven of Lucknow Super Giants’ very own will represent their respective countries in the showpiece event of this year’s international cricket calendar.

Here is a look at the Super Giants who will strive to make their country proud and win the prestigious title in the Americas.

Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)

Nicholas Pooran will be going into the upcoming T20 World Cup on the back of his best IPL season to date. Nicky P was our second-highest run-scorer after skipper KL Rahul this year.

The West Indian ace scored 499 runs from 14 matches at an impressive average of 62.37 and an astonishing strike rate of 178.21.

The big-hitting Pooran is an experienced campaigner for the West Indies in the shortest format, with 88 T20I matches behind him, scoring 1848 runs which is only second behind Chris Gayle’s tally of 1899 runs.

The 2024 T20 World Cup will be the southpaw’s WT20  third after being part of the team in 2021 and 2022. With the form the left-hander has been in over the past year, Nicy P could prove to be a handful for any bowling attract at the T20WC 2024.

Marcus Stoinis (Australia)

All-rounder Marcus Stoinis will be part of Australia’s quest for a second T20 World Cup title after their maiden trophy back in 2021. Stoinis played a key role for the Aussies in their victorious campaign in Doha three years ago, averaging 80 and accumulating runs at a strike rate of 137.93.

The 34-year-old Stoinis has played 59 T20Is for Australia scoring close to 1000 runs at a strike rate of 145.06. His medium-pace has been effective, fetching 29 wickets at an average of 27.24 and a strike rate of 18.80.

Stoinis had an excellent outing for us in IPL 2024 as he amassed 388 runs from 14 matches, averaging 32.33 and striking at 147.52. His unbeaten 124 against Chennai Super Kings in Chepauk was a knock for the ages as he helped us script a memorable win. It is also the highest individual score registered in a run chase in IPL history.

The Aussie dynamo also picked up four wickets with the ball averaging a wicket every 21 balls.

Quinton de Kock (South Africa)

Quinton de Kock will be one of the vital cogs in South Africa’s pursuit of a maiden T20 World Cup in the Americas. The southpaw has been part of four World Cup campaigns after making his T20 World Cup debut in 2014 and also finished as the Proteas’ top run-getter in the 2016 edition.

The wicketkeeper-batter has made 83 appearances for the Proteas in T20Is and aggregated 2341 runs at an average of 32.06 and strike rate of 138.11.

South Africa have not made it to the last four of the T20 World Cup in the previous three editions and QDK will look to change that this year.

The veteran opener has been a fixture in our top order since joining us in 2022, scoring more than 900 runs in three seasons for us. He tallied 250 runs from 11 matches in IPL 2024, including three fifties, scoring at a rate of 134.40.

Naveen-ul-Haq (Afghanistan)

Naveen-ul-Haq will be part of the 15-member Afghanistan team that will try to cause a major upset in the T20 World Cup. Only 24, Naveen already has 180 T20s and more than 200 dismissals to his name, having played for a variety of franchises across the globe.

For Afghanistan, Naveen has made 37 appearances in T20Is, picking up 46 wickets at an impressive average of 22.08 and a strike rate of 16.00. This will be the speedster’s third tryst with the T20 World Cup, having played in the 2021 and 2022 editions.

In IPL 2024, Naveen finished as our top wicket-taker with 14 wickets from 10 games, averaging under 27. He boasted of a commendable strike rate of 15.64.

Matt Henry (New Zealand)

Matt Henry is poised to play his first T20I World Cup as he booked a place in the 15-member New Zealand squad last month. The Kiwi pacer has played 17 T20Is picking up 20 wickets at an economy of just over eight an over.

Though Henry is making his debut in the showpiece event of the shortest format, he is a proven performer for New Zealand on the big stage. He played a prominent role in the Black Caps’ journey to the 2019 ODI World Cup final, picking up 14 wickets from nine matches.

Henry came into our side in IPL 2024 as a replacement player for England’s David Willey and chipped in with one wicket from the four matches that he played for us.

Shamar Joseph (West Indies)

Pace sensation Shamar Joseph will be one of the players to look out for in this T20 World Cup.

Joseph came into the spotlight after a breathtaking debut for the West Indies in a Test series against the mighty Australians. He picked up 13 wickets in two Tests, including a match-winning haul of eight wickets in the second Test at Brisbane to lead his team to a historic victory.

The youngster made his T20I debut in the recently concluded three-match series against South Africa and picked up three wickets.

The young pacer came into our side in IPL 2024 as a replacement for England’s Mark Wood and made his IPL debut against Kolkata Knight Riders. Like Pooran, Joseph will also be playing under familiar conditions during the 2024 WT20 and could prove to be a trump card for the co-hosts.

Mark Wood (England)

Mark Wood, well-known for his sheer pace and accuracy, missed the IPL 2024 season due to injury and will be eager to play in his first major tournament of the season for England.

Mark Wood picked up 11 wickets for us from four matches in the 2023 season. He returned with the figures of 5/14 against Delhi in his first match and bowled a 151.2 kmph bullet to dismiss MS Dhoni during his spell of 3/49 against Chennai Super Kings. 

At the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, Mark breathed fire and bowled a 154.74kmph delivery against New Zealand which was the fastest ball of the tournament. 

Overall, he has picked up 47 wickets from 29 T20I matches and averages just over 18 per wicket. He will be a great addition to the English side for the T20 World Cup.

Here's wishing our Super Giants the very best for their T20 World Cup 2024 journey.