T20 World Cup 2021: 3 batters who can set the stage on fire in the competition

Warm-up matches are coming to an end and the qualifying round of the T20 World Cup has given us more clarity on the four teams that will progress through to the main round of the T20 World Cup. All the focus will now be aimed at the main round and this is when the star players from each side need to step up.

The pitches on offer in the UAE could well be slow and sluggish and hence, the work will be cut out for the batters to assert their dominance. In the main competition, teams have key batters who could prove to be match-winners.

Here, we take a look at the three batters who can set the stage on fire at the T20 World Cup:

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#1 KL Rahul

KL Rahul's form is a huge plus for India at the T20 World Cup

India are one of the favorites at the T20 World Cup as they have the players that can be match-winners across all conditions. Leading the charge with the bat will be opener KL Rahul.

The right-hander has been in sensational form in the IPL and was the standout performer for the Punjab Kings. He has carried this form into the T20 World Cup and looked spectacular in the warm-up clash against England.

Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden, who is currently associated with the Pakistan team as a batting consultant, believes KL Rahul will be a major threat to the Men in Green.

Leading into the T20 World Cup, KL Rahul has scored 1557 runs in 49 T20 international matches for India at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 142.

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#2 Babar Azam

Babar Azam will be the key player for Pakistan in T20 World Cup

Pakistan's captain will hold the key for them in the T20 World Cup as he will be the main man for the side. The right-hander has scored 2204 runs in 61 games at an average of 47 with a strike rate of 131 in T20Is. This T20 World Cup will be his first major international tournament as the captain of his side.

He comes into this T20 World Cup as the highest run-getter in the PSL, where he scored 2070 runs in 58 games at an average of 43 with a strike rate of 122. Not only this, Azam is also the fastest to score 7000 T20 runs & 2000 T20 international runs.

If we take a look at the matches that Pakistan have played in the UAE, they have won 11 games whenever the right-hander has been part of the playing XI.

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#3 Glenn Maxwell

Australia will expect big things from Maxwell in T20 World Cup

The right-hander was in sensational form in the IPL and proved to be the X-factor in the Royal Challengers Bangalore's journey this season. He comes into the T20 World Cup after having scored 513 runs in this season of the IPL.

Maxwell's form on the slow and sluggish UAE pitches should give the Australian side a lot of balance and depth.

"If I continue the process I've been doing at the IPL, I know I'm going to have success. It's a nice position to be in mentally that I've come off a good run of form. I'm not overthinking the stuff in-game," Maxwell said in a recent interview, which augurs well for Australia.