T20 World Cup 2026: Debutants Who Could Write History

New faces with big dreams. These players are set to step onto the T20 World Cup stage for the first time. A stage they've always imagined.

Now, their moment has arrived.

Abhishek Sharma (India)

Playing his first-ever T20 World Cup, Abhishek Sharma arrives as one of India's most dangerous weapons at the top of the order.

Backed by Ricky Ponting as a potential tournament star and even a leading run-scorer, Abhishek heads into his maiden World Cup not just as a debutant, but as a genuine game-changer.

The Amritsar-born opener has been unstoppable since smashing a breathtaking century in just his second T20I against Zimbabwe in 2024.

Abhishek, a member of India's Under-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2018, has amassed 1,267 runs in 37 T20Is at a strike-rate of 194.92, including two hundreds and eight fifties. The 25-year-old has warmed up for the ICC showpiece, piling on 182 runs in five matches against New Zealand in the T20I series.

Tilak Varma (India)

Despite a recent health scare, Tilak is officially cleared to make his T20 World Cup debut. The Indian team management will heave a sigh of relief with the talented southpaw ticking all the boxes on his return to competitive cricket after a lower abdominal surgery as the 'A' team, comprising mostly of IPL stars, comfortably defeated the United States of America by 38 runs in a high-scoring warm-up game in Navi Mumbai.

Since his 2023 debut, he has evolved from a prospect into a middle-order powerhouse. Whether it was his ice-cool performance in the 2025 Asia Cup final against Pakistan or his historic back-to-back centuries in South Africa, he has proven he belongs on the big stage.

As India heads into this 20-team tournament, Tilak's ability to both anchor an innings and accelerate at will makes him a vital asset for the Men in Blue.

Zainullah Ihsan (Scotland)

One of the most heartwarming selections of the tournament, 19-year-old seamer Zainullah Ihsan has been handed a shock first call-up by Scotland despite not having played a T20I yet.

Born in Afghanistan, Ihsan arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied asylum seeker and was granted refugee status in 2022. Having only played tapeball cricket before joining Glasgow's GHK club, his rise has been meteoric.

Now eligible for Scotland, he could make his full international debut on the biggest stage -- straight at the World Cup.

Craig Overton (England)

Standing 6ft 5in and built for impact, Overton finally gets his first T20 World Cup opportunity after years of near-misses and injuries.

The England allrounder, who debuted in T20Is in 2024, was in contention for the last edition before fitness setbacks stalled him.

Known for his raw pace touching 90mph and brutal lower-order hitting -- boasting one of the highest strike rates in T20 cricket -- Overton offers England a genuine dual threat with both bat and seam.

Jacob Duffy (New Zealand)

After years hovering on the fringes, Duffy earned his maiden T20 World Cup call-up at 31.

The New Zealand pacer forced selectors' hands with a breakout 2025 season, claiming a staggering 81 international wickets.

Reliable, disciplined and increasingly seen as a frontline option alongside Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry, Duffy now gets his long-awaited moment on the global stage.