The 2026 T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7. It has always been a tournament where reputation guarantees nothing, as short games, high pressure,
and rapidly shifting momentum often create a space where unfamiliar or lightly discussed players end up defining entire campaigns.
As the T20 World Cup 2026 approaches, several players arrive without the weight of hype but with skill sets perfectly suited to the demands of modern T20 cricket. Their value lies in adaptability, clarity of role, and the ability to perform when conditions or situations arise .
Here is a list of 3 underrated players at T20 World Cup 2026:
Tim David
Tim David is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous finishers in world cricket at present, and heading into the T20 World Cup, he is expected to carry significant responsibility alongside senior figures like Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis. David arguably offers Australia their most reliable late-innings firepower.
His game is built around clean, uncompromising power rather than improvisation; he prefers hitting straight and down the ground and can clear boundaries at will. His game against spin has improved significantly. On subcontinent pitches, where smaller boundaries and true surfaces reward such strengths, David is likely to be particularly effective.
The numbers reinforce his growing importance. In 58 T20I innings, he has scored 1,596 runs at an average above 36 and a strike rate of 168.22, while his 2025 returns have been outstanding: 395 runs in 10 innings at an average of 49.37 and a strike rate of 197.20. His experience in the IPL, including a prolific campaign with RCB last season, gives him valuable familiarity with Indian conditions, which could prove crucial in the latter stages of the tournament.
Beyond his batting, David is also a top-class outfielder, covering ground with ease and offering exceptional catching ability, further strengthening his value as a complete T20 cricketer.
Finn Allen
Finn Allen is among the most explosive opening batters in modern T20 cricket, a player capable of changing the direction of a match inside the powerplay. With lightning-quick hands and a clear attacking mindset, Allen thrives on putting bowlers under immediate pressure. His ability to maximise the first six overs is one of New Zealand’s biggest weapons, often forcing captains to rethink plans before the field has even spread.
That impact was on full display during a record-breaking Big Bash League season, where he played a central role in Perth Scorchers’ title win and set a new benchmark for most sixes in a single edition. On smaller Indian grounds, his preference for hitting cleanly through the line should suit conditions perfectly.
In 52 T20I innings, he has scored 1,285 runs at a strike rate of 163.27, while his recent form has been even more telling. In 2025, he struck at over 200 sixes in international cricket, and he also finished as the leading run-scorer in the BBL 2025-26 with 466 runs at a strike rate of 184. While his aggression often steals the spotlight, Allen’s growing selectiveness against swing and spin reflects improving game awareness.
Sediqullah Atal
Hailing from Logar, south of Kabul, Sediqullah Atal has steadily emerged as one of Afghanistan’s most intriguing young batting prospects. A left-handed opener, he first caught attention as a teenager in the Shpageeza Premier League in 2020, and his promise earned him an ODI squad call-up in 2021 even before he had played List-A cricket.
Although his international debut was delayed due to scheduling changes, Atal eventually broke into the Afghanistan side through T20Is and later made his ODI debut in 2024. His early T20I returns were modest, but his breakthrough came at the ACC Emerging T20 Asia Cup in October 2024, where he dominated the tournament with 368 runs, scoring a fifty in each of his five innings and guiding Afghanistan A to the title.
Atal has also featured in the SA20 for MI Cape Town, registering a fluent 74 at the top of the order, and soon after announced himself in ODIs with a maiden hundred against Zimbabwe. At the 2025 Champions Trophy, he again showed composure under pressure, top-scoring for Afghanistan in a washed-out match against Australia.
Unlike many young batters, Atal’s game is built on timing and balance rather than raw power. His ability to rotate strike and absorb pressure adds stability to Afghanistan’s batting, and in high-stakes World Cup matches, that calm presence could become a decisive asset.
