Jos Buttler and Abhishek Sharma - (Source: X.com)
The T20 World Cup is over, and the entire nation is buzzing with India’s magnificent win over New Zealand. The focus will now shift to the IPL, which is set to kickstart on March 28. The schedule is not out yet, but the teams have already begun preparing for the mega-event.
All ten teams would have kept a close eye on the T20 World Cup. Similarly, the players who had a poor tournament will also look to use IPL as a platform to redeem their form in the cash-studded league. Therefore, this article will shed light on the flop players in the World Cup, seeking redemption in IPL 2026.
1. Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma had a terrible tournament. The southpaw was under immense pressure and struggled for runs. The 25-year-old only returned to form in the final, where he slammed an 18-ball fifty. Putting that knock aside, Abhishek had a disastrous edition as he amassed just 141 runs in eight innings.
Sharma averaged 17.63, and his strike-rate too dropped to 151. There are now questions about his consistency and ability to bat on challenging tracks. Thus, the left-handed batter has a lot to prove in the upcoming IPL. Abhishek will open for SRH and needs to silence his critics questioning his ability to bat long and put big totals on the board.
2. Cameron Green
Cameron Green was sold for a whopping 25.20 crores in the IPL 2026 auction, making him the most expensive overseas buy in the history of the league. However, the star all-rounder is already feeling the pressure of a high purse as he failed miserably in the T20 World Cup 2026.
Also Read: New Zealand Player Ratings For T20 World Cup 2026
Australia suffered an early exit in the tournament, and Green had to be blamed for it. The 24-year-old scored just 24 runs in three innings. Further, he picked up a solitary wicket in two innings, which is way too concerning for the Kolkata Knight Riders, who have put high hopes on the Australia all-rounder.
3. Jos Buttler
Talking about shocking performances, Jos Buttler has to be the one who disappointed the most. Buttler amassed just 87 runs in 8 innings, averaging just 10.88. The fans were extremely disappointed with the England opener, and now there are chatters that the right-handed batter should leave the team and contemplate retirement, as he is on the wrong side of his 30s.
Notably, Buttler is 35, and the Gujarat Titans are worried about the former England captain’s form; Jos Buttler, too, has a lot to prove to his critics.
4. Phil Salt
Phil Salt, too, had a disappointing run in the T20 World Cup 2026. Buttler’s opening partner scored 130 runs in 8 innings, averaging just 16.25. The most shocking thing is that the right-handed batter was in solid form before the tournament and failed only at the World Cup.
Talking about his performance in IPL 2025, Salt was one of RCB’s top performers, where he amassed 403 runs in 13 innings. Therefore, no one expected him to flop this badly, and now the defending champions are sweating hard over whether they should continue with the opening pair of Virat Kohli or Phil Salt.
5. Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan is another star performer who has looked like a pale shadow of his past versions. Notably, Rashid picked up just six wickets in four innings, failing to perform in big matches. The right-arm spinner is not posing the same threat he once used to terrorise the batters with his mystery.
Even his IPL 2025 was not upto the mark as he took just nine wickets in 15 matches. Therefore, Rashid too has a lot to prove to retain his place in the IPL.
Also Read: Sanath Jayasuriya Replaced As Sri Lanka Appoint India’s World Cup Hero As Head Coach
