Best XI Of Under 21 In World Cricket

Cricket is a sport in which players of different ages can be part of the matches. Youngsters below 20 years of age have made international debut in the past while players older than 35 years have also bagged the limelight on the field in world cricket. Former Pakistan cricketer Mushtaq Mohammad has been the youngest ever player to make an international debut. He was just 15 years and 124 days old when he played his first international match in 1959.

In Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar is the youngest player to make an international debut, when he played his first international game in November 1989 at the age of 16 years and 205 days.  International cricket has witnessed the emergence of many youngsters in recent time who have gained the limelight with their impressive batting and bowling performances. In this listicle, we talk about the Best XI of Under 21 in world cricket.

Best XI Of Under 21 In World Cricket

Shubman Gill- 21

Shubman Gill is the first player in this team of Best XI of Under 21 in world cricket. The right-handed batsman made his international debut in an ODI against New Zealand in January 2019. Although he didn’t have a great record in ODIs, he bagged the spotlight after his Test debut for India last year.

The 21-year-old has played 13 Test innings so far and scored 378 runs at an average of 34.36. He has smashed 3 half-centuries, out of which one was a 91-run knock. In 3 ODIs, he has scored 49 runs. Among the Under-21 Best XI in World Cricket, Shubman Gill will be the great choice for an opener.

Prithvi Shaw- 21

Prithvi Shaw will be a fine choice for the other opener in this team. The 21-year-old batsman has played 5 Tests so far, scoring 339 runs in 9 innings at an average of 42.38. The right-handed batsman has smashed 1 century and 2 half-centuries.  In ODIs, Shaw has played 3 matches and scored 84 runs. Shaw bagged the limelight with a century on his Test debut against West Indies in October 2018. He scored 134 runs in his debut Test innings.

Ibrahim Zadran- 19

Ibrahim Zadran is an Afghanistan cricketer. The 19-year-old made his international debut against Bangladesh in a Test match in September 2019. The right-handed batsman has scored 356 runs in 8 innings in Tests. This gives him an average of 44.50.

He has also smashed 3 half-centuries in the Test format. He has only played 1 ODI and 3 T20Is so far, in which he has scored 2 and 14 runs respectively. He will be another great choice of a batsman in the team of Best XI of Under 21 in world cricket.

Mohammad Naim- 21

Mohammad Naim will be another good batsman in the team of Under-21 players in world cricket. The Bangladesh cricketer made his international debut in a T20I match against India in November 2019. The 21-year-old has played 2 ODIs so far, in which he scored 1 run in one match.

However, the left-handed batsman has a great record in T20Is, scoring 303 runs in 9 matches at an average of 33.66. He has also smashed 1 fifty. Naim is an emerging youngster in Bangladesh cricket and he should definitely be part of this team.

Ikram Ali Khil- 20 (Wicket-Keeper)

Ikram Ali Khil is a wicket-keeper batsman from Afghanistan. The 20-year-old made his international debut in March 2019 in an ODI match against Ireland. The left-handed batsman has played 12 ODIs so far and scored 234 runs at an average of 26. He has also smashed 2 half-centuries.

In his 1 Test innings, he scored 7 runs. Ikran Ali Khil is an emerging wicket-keeper batsman from Afghanistan and he should be selected for the wicket-keeper’s spot in the team of Best XI of Under-21 in world cricket.

Washington Sundar – 21

Washington Sundar will be a good choice for an all-rounder in the team of Best XI of Under-21 in world cricket. The 21-year-old Indian cricketer is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm spinner. He made his international debut in an ODI match against Sri Lanka in December 2017.

He rose to fame after his Test debut against Australia in January 2021. In 4 Test matches so far, he has scored 265 runs in 6 innings along with 3 fifties. In T20Is, he has scored 47 runs in 11 innings. The off-break bowler also accounts for 6 wickets in 4 Tests, 1 in his lone ODI game, and 25 wickets in 31 T20Is.

Rachin Ravindra- 21

Rachin Ravindra is a cricketer from New Zealand. The 21-year-old has not made his international debut so far but he has been picked in the New Zealand squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final. The batting all-rounder earned his selection into the national team after his consistent performances for New Zealand A team.

In 15 ODIs for the New Zealand A team, he scored 387 runs at an average of 27.64 and strike rate of 75.29. He has also smashed 1 hundred and 2 fifties. The left-arm spinner also picked 26 wickets in 15 matches and bowled an economy of 5.20. He is another emerging youngster in World Cricket and becomes a crucial inclusion on this list.

Naseem Shah- 18

Naseem Shah is a pacer from Pakistan. The 18-year-old made his international debut in a Test match against Australia in November 2019. So far, he played 9 Test matches.

In 13 innings, he has scalped 20 wickets. The right-arm pacer has an average of 42.45 and picked a 5-wicket haul once. He will be a powerful pacer in the team of Best XI of Under-21 in world cricket.

Shaheen Afridi- 21

Shaheen Afridi is a cricketer from Pakistan who is 21 years old currently. He is a pace bowler. The left-arm pacer made his international debut in April 2018 in a T20I match against West Indies. So far, Afridi has scalped 58 wickets in 27 Test innings, 51 wickets in 25 ODIs, and 27 wickets in 25 T20Is.

He has an economy of 5.47 in ODIs and 7.93 in T20Is. Afridi will definitely add strength in the bowling department of Best XI of Under-21 in World Cricket.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman- 19 (Captain)

Mujeeb Ur Rahman is a 20-year-old spinner from Afghanistan. The right-arm spinner made his international debut in an ODI against Ireland in December 2017. In 19 T20Is so far, he has picked 25 wickets at a brilliant economy of 6.15.

In ODIs, the off-spinner has scalped 70 wickets in 43 games and owns an economy of just 3.96. In 1 Test match, he picked 1 wicket.  For the primary spinner in the team of Best XI of Under-21 in World Cricket, Rahman should be selected. Due to his good experience in international cricket, he should be the captain of this team.

Nayeem Hasan- 21

Nayeem Hasan is a spinner from Bangladesh. The 21-year-old made his international debut in a Test match against West Indies in November 2018 and got a 5-wicket haul in his debut Test. The right-arm spinner has played 7 Test matches so far and accounts for 25 wickets in 12 innings.

He has bowled at an average of 26.24 and picked a 5-wicket haul on two occasions. His best bowling figure in a Test innings is 5/61 while in a match is 9/152. Hasan should be another bowler in the team of Best XI of Under-21 in world cricket.