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The 2024 T20 World Cup will be remembered for years as the first time that the sport of cricket
ventured into America with a big tournament, but it will also be remembered as the tournament of
comebacks.
Many a noteworthy player has made a return to their respective national teams in this tournament.
Here we take a look at some of those players.
Rishabh Pant – Pant had not been seen in national colours ever since India’s Test series away to
Bangladesh at the fag end of 2022, due to the horrific accident he suffered on December 30, 2022.
But the dashing wicketkeeper-batsman’s international comeback occurred during the T20 World
Cup, after a successful return to cricket in the 2024 edition of the IPL.
Fans would doubtless hope that the explosive performer would be able to replicate the kind of form
he showed for the Delhi Capitals with the Indian cricket team as well.
Mohammad Amir – The left-arm speedster once seen as the next Wasim Akram, Amir’s international
career ended years back although he remained active on the franchise cricket circuit. His retirement
was less down to waning abilities and more down to issues with the cricket hierarchy in the country.
However, he stunned everyone by reversing his retirement decision just before the World Cup and
thus made it back to the national team after talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board went well.
Imad Wasim – Another Pakistan player with a reputation for being a T20 specialist, Imad had also
retired from international cricket. However, his form in the Pakistan Super League prompted the PCB
to engage in talks with him in a bid to reverse his international retirement.
Imad, like Amir, agreed to return and bring his vast experience of playing in multiple T20 leagues to
use for the Pakistan cricket team. It helps that the left-arm all-rounder was also part of the 2017
Champions Trophy-winning side, meaning he had experience of dealing with pressure too.
Jofra Archer – The English speedster had last played a competitive cricket game in the 2023 edition
of the Indian Premier League before more elbow injury woes set him up for another spell on the
sidelines.
However, Archer managed to work his way back to full fitness just in time for the T20 World Cup and
proved he has not lost a step during the series that took place against Pakistan before the
tournament.
Given his ability to bowl well in any phase of the game, as well as his electric pace, he was a more
than welcome addition back to an England side in desperate need for an X-factor bowler.
Angelo Mathews – At the start of 2024, Mathews had gone almost 3 years without playing a T20I for
Sri Lanka. But an impressive showing in the 2023 ICC World Cup paved the way for a return in the
shortest format too.
The veteran played a few games before the T20 World Cup and it was thus no surprise to see him
among the players named for Sri Lanka’s first World Cup.
How long this comeback lasts remains to be seen but it will surely be fun to watch either way.
