T20 World Cup 2022: Rating wicket-keepers of top 8 teams in the tournament

Wicket-keeping is a thankless job in cricket. Fans notice the keepers either when they take a blinder of a catch or drop a dolly. But in reality, they are the ones who arguably perform one of the toughest roles on the cricket field. They are entrusted to deny the runs through byes and inflict dismissals in the form of caught behind, stumping, and run-outs. 

The keepers apart from the glovework should be shrewd tacticians of the game and help the captains in getting the fielding position right. They are the ones who help maintain the intensity of the team and are an important stakeholder in deciding whether to challenge the umpire’s decision or not. Moreover, the keepers should be excellent batters who could change the course of the game with the bat. In the T20 World Cup 2022, there will be many top-quality keepers taking the field. Here we rate the wicketkeepers of the top eight teams in the tournament based on their glovework and batsmanship.

8. Afghanistan - (Rahmanullah Gurbaz) - 6/10

Rahmanullah Gurbaz is one of the most exciting prospects in Afghanistan Cricket. The opening batter is known for his fearless brand of cricket and loves to take the attack to the opposition. The 20-year-old has been entrusted to provide his side brisk starts and has done it with perfection.

Gurbaz has made 32 appearances for Afghanistan in the shortest format and has scored 828 runs at a strike rate of 138.46. He was in a rich vein of form in the recently concluded Asia Cup which saw him hit 152 runs in five games at a strike rate of 163.44.

When it comes to wicket-keeping, the 20-year-old has done a fair enough job for his side considering he is relatively new to the international circuit and will improve with experience. Gurbaz has played 27 T20Is as a designated wicket-keeper and has 17 dismissals to his name. The Mohammad Nabi & Co. would hope the dashing batter is at his prolific best in the upcoming global tournament.