T20 World Cup 2026: Ranking teams by strength of their opening pairs

The upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup gets underway on February 7, with India taking on the USA at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Matches will be played in India and Sri Lanka. For the second consecutive T20 World Cup edition, 20 teams will be participating in the marquee event.

India are the defending champions, having won the title in 2024 after defeating South Africa in the final. In this article, let's rate the opening pairs of the top-10 ranked teams participating in the global extravaganza.

T20 World Cup 2026: Rating Opening Pairs From Each Team (Top-10 ranked teams)

10 Paul Stirling and Ross Adair - Ireland

While Ireland are ranked No. 11 in the ICC rankings, they are included on this list because rank 9, Bangladesh, has been replaced by Scotland in the tournament. Skipper Paul Stirling is set to open the batting with Ross Adair in the 20-team event.

While Stirling is the leading run-getter for Ireland in the shortest format, Ross Adair has only played a handful of T20Is so far and has decent numbers. However, their biggest challenge will be adjusting to spin-friendly conditions as they will play all their group games in Sri Lanka.

9. Brandon King and Johnson Charles

Brandon King and Johnson Charles could open the batting for the West Indies. Both batters are highly experienced in international cricket. While both of them can be quite explosive on their days, it will be important for them to fire as a unit.

King has the ability to time the ball well, especially against the pacers. On the other hand, Charles can take the spinners to the cleaners with his power game. They should complement each other well. There is also an option to open with Evin Lewis, which will give the Caribbean side a left-right combination at the top.

8. Pathum Nissanka and Kamil Mishara

Pathum Nissanka is among the most talented batters in world cricket across formats. He usually plays the anchor's role, allowing the other batters to go about their business around him. However, this does nOt mean that he only plays cautiously. Nissanka rotates strike and hit boundaries every now and then to maintain a healthy strike rate.

On the other hand, Kamil Mishara has three fifties to his name from 15 T20Is. The problem area for Sri Lanka is that Mishara's game is similar to Nissanka's in many ways. He also likes to attack inside the powerplay before settling down as the innings goes on. If both of them get past the powerplay, it will be important for at least one of them to continue batting aggressively.

7. Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub

Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub have been opening the batting for Pakistan for a few months now. The former finished 2025 as the highest run-scorer for Pakistan in T20I cricket. He is someone who likes dealing in sixes.

Meanwhile, Saim Ayub is a young and talented batter who will look to make a mark in a multi-nation tournament after having a disastrous time in the 2025 Asia Cup. If Ayub gets going, he is  difficult to contain. Consistency is a big issue for him, though.

6. Devon Conway and Finn Allen

Devon Conway made his international debut in 2020 and quickly became the epitome of consistency across formats. However, in recent times, he has blown hot and cold. Conway's experience of playing in the Indian Premier League should stand him in good stead during the World Cup.

Finn Allen has been in scintillating form in the Big Bash League (BBL). He has scored runs for fun, hitting boundaries at will. Allen's batting against spin has also improved considerably. If he carries his BBL form into the World Cup, he will light up the tournament and give sleepless nights to opposition bowlers.

5. Phil Salt and Ben Duckett

Indian fans are pretty much aware of Phil Salt's talent. The wicketkeeper-batter was brilliant in the last two IPL seasons for the Kolkata Knight Riders, first and then for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Salt is one of the most destructive batters in world cricket, who has a strike rate of 168.13 in T20Is and 175.71 in the IPL.

Ben Duckett has not played too much T20I cricket, but he has impressive numbers. The southpaw has 527 runs from 20 T20Is at an average of 29.28 and a strike rate of 153.65. Salt and Duckett can cause mayhem inside the powerplay, getting England off to some blistering starts.

4. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran are one of the most reliable opening pairs in white-ball cricket. They were excellent during the previous edition of the T20 World Cup on sluggish tracks. It will be interesting to see how they go about their work on surfaces which are expected to be better for batting.

Gurbaz is the more flamboyant batter in the partnership, while Zadran likes to anchor the innings. However, in recent times, they have switched roles seamlessly based on who is getting off the blocks quicker on the day.

3. Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock

Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock will bring experience at the top of the order. They have considerable knowledge of conditions in the subcontinent. Markram was brilliant for the Lucknow Super Giants in last year's IPL. On the other hand, de Kock is among the most successful wicketkeeper-batters in IPL history.

In this partnership, both players can excel against spinners and pacers. They can also make up for a few dots at the start of their innings by cutting loose once they get themselves set at the crease. De Kock and Markram's partnership at the top of the order will be key for South Africa.

2. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson

Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are among the most exciting opening pairs in world cricket at the moment. Both of them like to go after the bowlers from the first ball. They have all the shots in the book and can clear the biggest boundaries with utmost ease.

Only Brian Bennett scored more runs than Abhishek Sharma in T20I cricket among batters from Test-playing nations. On the other hand, Samson had to bat in the middle order and even sit on the bench for a while after Shubman Gill returned to the side during the Asia Cup. However, the wicketkeeper-batter from Kerala has reclaimed the opener's position and will look to make a significant impact alongside Abhishek at the top of the order for the Men in Blue.

1. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head

Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head have been opening the batting for Australia for a long time in white-ball cricket. They make a formidable duo because both of them can bat long without letting their strike rate drop considerably.

They also bring years of experience and a left-right combination to the table. With big hitters like Glenn Maxwell and Tim David waiting in the middle order, a blitzkrieg at the top from Head and Marsh will set the platform for the Aussies to bat opposition teams out of the contest.