Dinesh Karthik names players who will be crucial for their team’s success in the 2021 T20 World Cup

The most anticipated T20 World Cup gets underway on 24th October. The T20 mega event will feature a big clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan on the opening night. 

During a Sky Sports segment with former English cricketer Isa Guha and former West Indies captain Darren Sammy, Dinesh Karthik named three players who he believes will play crucial roles in their team's pursuit of T20 glory.

Nicholas Pooran - West Indies

The young Windies wicketkeeper-batsman is one of the clean strikers of the cricket ball. Karthik believes Pooran's form will be a deciding factor if the multi-time champions are to advance further in the tournament.

“For me, Nicholas Pooran is someone who is special. When he finishes his career, he’ll be one of the T20 greats because of the way he bats. There’s something called bat swing, and he has probably got the best bat swing cricket. He could hit a cricket ball farther than most have ever done. He is a very, very important player if West Indies want to move forward in the tournament,” Dinesh Karthik told Isha Guha and Darren Sammy on Sky Sports.

Mitchell Starc - Australia

Mitchell Starc has emerged as one of the game's most lethal pacers in the last decade. The New South Wales-born cricketer had been out of form, but he has managed to regain his form, which itself is a positive sign for Australia's outing in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

“Mitchell Starc, if he comes good for Australia. He’d be bowling those important overs for Australia upfront at the death. He has not been going too well, of late. But in the last series against West Indies, especially in the ODI format, he’s found his rhythm back. He has got the ball to come back in, and he has got people [out] with sheer pace. I am hoping that he holds onto that. Because if Australia has to do any damage in this tournament, he is going to be a key player,” the 36-year-old stated.

Hardik Pandya - India

Hardik Pandya is one of India's best all-rounders in recent years. The hard-hitting batsman is capable of delivering top-quality seam bowling. During the 2019 World Cup, the Gujarat-born cricketer suffered an injury that put him on the back foot. For a while, Pandya's three-dimensional play was hampered. It's worth noting that the 27-year-old is gradually regaining his bowling rhythm.

“When you want to win big tournaments, you need characters, people who are up for a fight. For India, that [character] is Hardik Pandya for me. He is there with the ball, he is there with the bat, and he plays a critical role with the bat because every time India has floundered a little bit or want to up their run-rate, he is the guy. He can hit most bowlers to most parts of the ground… one of the reasons I really enjoy him. Even [with] his bowling, he is very clever; he is gone on to become the leader of the pack. You can see him talking to the other bowlers,” the cricketer-cum-commentator said.