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International Cricketer
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2011
So, it's that time of year again. Another ICC "world" tournament has come and gone. It leads to yet more questions and debates, with very few answers. Where do the West Indies, this years champions, go from here? Will the WICB support their players, provide better contracts and push for better test facilities? I wouldn't hold my breath if I was you.
What of India? The pre tournament favourites you really never managed to fire. Their mediocre batting propped up by a quite remarkable T20 talent. If there had been no Virat Kohli, how low would the Indians have fallen? And how would that have affected the tournament as a whole? Where do India go from here? Is Dhoni still the man needed as captain and lower order heart stopper? Or is it time to move on?
Then there's Australia, the traditional super power of modern day cricket, which has never really foudn itself comfortable in the shortest format of the game. They have what it takes, quality batsmen and quality bowlers. Yet they never seem to gel. Is this format far to haphazard and wild for a team and a cricketing structure built on order and discipline?
England have left this tournament, beaten but not bowed. All the investments made within the coaching facilities, international tours for the Lions side and academies has paid off. A team, for so long regarded as "boring" and unable to produce "strikers" is no longer any of those things. I once labeled them "the most modern team in modern cricket". They lived up to that billing. Now they just have to go and win the big one.
Oh, and what of the once great T20 nations of Pakistan and Sri Lanka? Both teams are going through times of change. Great players have left. Not so great players have arrived. Pakistan in particular, so dominant in the early phases of this form, now look lost. They don't have the big hitters required, nor are their bowlers imaginative enough to consistently pick up wickets. Times are changing. They have to keep up.
On to South Africa...oh South Africa. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. They have the tools but lack that little "x-factor" needed to win big tournaments. The same could be said of the sanest team in the tournament: New Zealand. Smart cricketers, smart captain and yet, they faltered when they should have flown.
Could it really be anyone else? They swaggered and sauntered their way, every bit as calypso and Clive Lloyd once denied. They hit big sixes and own hearts. They danced and won even more hearts. Yes there was the horrendous game against Afghanistan but greater credit must go to the Afghans, who had come close on 2 previous occasions of beating a test playing nation. That was there night, even Chris Gayle let them have it.
From a technical perspective, there isn't much to right home about, apart from Samuel Badree's quite remarkable bowling. The batting is hit and miss. Their bowling packed full of guys who can change up pace but get no swing or seam and have very little artistry. This is not a team made up of technically proficient cricketers. It is, however, a team made up of men who have the utmost belief that they can win. This divides them from the mere mortals that they conquered for three weeks.
Runners Up
England. After an initial disappointment against the eventual champions, they chased down a huge score against the South Africans and proved they had world class players with the bat and bowl. They also proved that they could field with the best of them and where other England teams would have faltered in the heat, this team only got better.
There was a time when Afghanistan were viewed as a curiosity. They were fun and entertaining but they were always going to lose. Not so now. They have a team with a solid structure, at lease in this format. Guys like Shahzad can hit the ball as well as anyone around world cricket and the bowling unit which supports him is improving by the day. Not to mention an infectious enthusiasm which pushes them to ever greater heights.
(India v Bangladesh)
The stage was set. Bangladesh weer going to win. They had outfought, outplayed and out thought India for 90% of the game. A disciplined bowling performance, which is something that had helped Bangladesh throughout the Asia Cup, was haunting India. The much vaunted Indian batting never really settled. Then came three balls of mayhem. Pandya was too full, then he was too wide. Somehow, Bangladesh could not capitilise. Then, on the last ball, the ageing legs of MSD found life and he sprinted, smashing the stumps and Bangladesh's hopes.
Runner Up
Soumya Sarkar Wonder Catch
Just take a look for yourself:
Watch: Soumya Sarkar of Bangladesh takes stunning catch by the boundary against Pakistan | 2016 ICC World Twenty20 | Video | Ten Sports Official Website: latest Cricket Video at tensports.com
It's those pesky Afghans again. They had come so close, time and time again throughout the tournament. Maybe it was just a matter of time and maybe the Windies were in the wrong place. The Afghans looked like they were willing to fight to the death and the Windies looked like they were complacent with their semi-final berth. It was a quite miraculous win and one that will stand the test of time.
The IPL, the batting line up, the home conditions, the home crowds and Virat Kohli. They should have reached the final. It's what was supposed to happen but from the moment they lost to New Zealand, they did not look like a dominant factor in the tournament. Close wins would follow, none closer than against Bangladesh. The bowling would be good. But the batting, once so dominant and imperious now looked lost. Men like Dhawan and Raina did not fire consistently enough and the come back of Yuvraj Singh faded slowly and painfully. Dhoni, once a great finisher looked more comfortable taking twos than hitting boundaries.
Runners Up
Pakistan. There really isn't any other choice. They could easily have been the recipients of this award if not for the fact that they had showed signs of T20 decline for the last 18 months. No Umar Gul, no Saeed Ajmal, no Yasir Shah and a beleaguered, mediocre Afridi does not make a successful team. Time to rethink.
And now, onto the big one. The best actor category of cricketing awards, player of the tournament.
Runs - 249
Avg - 49.80
SR - 146.47
4s - 24 6s - 7
The third highest run scorer (backed up by 2 crucial wickets) and one of the highest rations of boundaries to runs in the entire tournament, the quiet "test specialist" has now become one of the best T20 batsmen on the planet. He was going up against T20 power houses in Kohli, Dhoni, Gayle and Afridi. Not only did he hold his own, he outperformed them on many an occasion. His 83 against South Africa propelled England to a world record chase. It also set up the rest of the tournament for them. To do all this in foreign conditions, in an environment entirely alien to him and to do it repeatedly will stand the test of time. This was one of the finest runs by an English batsmen in a tournament we have ever seen. To put it simply, nothing short of special.
Runners Up
Virat Kohli and Samuel Badree. The former was one of the pure stylists in this tournament. A man without whom India would never have left the group stages. He was also the second highest run getter in the tournament. Badree, though not the highest wicket taker, took most of them during the power play overs. How many T20 bowlers can boast that?
What of India? The pre tournament favourites you really never managed to fire. Their mediocre batting propped up by a quite remarkable T20 talent. If there had been no Virat Kohli, how low would the Indians have fallen? And how would that have affected the tournament as a whole? Where do India go from here? Is Dhoni still the man needed as captain and lower order heart stopper? Or is it time to move on?
Then there's Australia, the traditional super power of modern day cricket, which has never really foudn itself comfortable in the shortest format of the game. They have what it takes, quality batsmen and quality bowlers. Yet they never seem to gel. Is this format far to haphazard and wild for a team and a cricketing structure built on order and discipline?
England have left this tournament, beaten but not bowed. All the investments made within the coaching facilities, international tours for the Lions side and academies has paid off. A team, for so long regarded as "boring" and unable to produce "strikers" is no longer any of those things. I once labeled them "the most modern team in modern cricket". They lived up to that billing. Now they just have to go and win the big one.
Oh, and what of the once great T20 nations of Pakistan and Sri Lanka? Both teams are going through times of change. Great players have left. Not so great players have arrived. Pakistan in particular, so dominant in the early phases of this form, now look lost. They don't have the big hitters required, nor are their bowlers imaginative enough to consistently pick up wickets. Times are changing. They have to keep up.
On to South Africa...oh South Africa. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. They have the tools but lack that little "x-factor" needed to win big tournaments. The same could be said of the sanest team in the tournament: New Zealand. Smart cricketers, smart captain and yet, they faltered when they should have flown.
Team of the Tournament
West IndiesCould it really be anyone else? They swaggered and sauntered their way, every bit as calypso and Clive Lloyd once denied. They hit big sixes and own hearts. They danced and won even more hearts. Yes there was the horrendous game against Afghanistan but greater credit must go to the Afghans, who had come close on 2 previous occasions of beating a test playing nation. That was there night, even Chris Gayle let them have it.
From a technical perspective, there isn't much to right home about, apart from Samuel Badree's quite remarkable bowling. The batting is hit and miss. Their bowling packed full of guys who can change up pace but get no swing or seam and have very little artistry. This is not a team made up of technically proficient cricketers. It is, however, a team made up of men who have the utmost belief that they can win. This divides them from the mere mortals that they conquered for three weeks.
Runners Up
England. After an initial disappointment against the eventual champions, they chased down a huge score against the South Africans and proved they had world class players with the bat and bowl. They also proved that they could field with the best of them and where other England teams would have faltered in the heat, this team only got better.
Most Improved Team
AfghanistanThere was a time when Afghanistan were viewed as a curiosity. They were fun and entertaining but they were always going to lose. Not so now. They have a team with a solid structure, at lease in this format. Guys like Shahzad can hit the ball as well as anyone around world cricket and the bowling unit which supports him is improving by the day. Not to mention an infectious enthusiasm which pushes them to ever greater heights.
Play of the Tournament
Dhoni Gets The Run Out! (India v Bangladesh)
The stage was set. Bangladesh weer going to win. They had outfought, outplayed and out thought India for 90% of the game. A disciplined bowling performance, which is something that had helped Bangladesh throughout the Asia Cup, was haunting India. The much vaunted Indian batting never really settled. Then came three balls of mayhem. Pandya was too full, then he was too wide. Somehow, Bangladesh could not capitilise. Then, on the last ball, the ageing legs of MSD found life and he sprinted, smashing the stumps and Bangladesh's hopes.
Runner Up
Soumya Sarkar Wonder Catch
Just take a look for yourself:
Watch: Soumya Sarkar of Bangladesh takes stunning catch by the boundary against Pakistan | 2016 ICC World Twenty20 | Video | Ten Sports Official Website: latest Cricket Video at tensports.com
Biggest Upset
Afghanistan beat West IndiesIt's those pesky Afghans again. They had come so close, time and time again throughout the tournament. Maybe it was just a matter of time and maybe the Windies were in the wrong place. The Afghans looked like they were willing to fight to the death and the Windies looked like they were complacent with their semi-final berth. It was a quite miraculous win and one that will stand the test of time.
Biggest Disappointment
Team IndiaThe IPL, the batting line up, the home conditions, the home crowds and Virat Kohli. They should have reached the final. It's what was supposed to happen but from the moment they lost to New Zealand, they did not look like a dominant factor in the tournament. Close wins would follow, none closer than against Bangladesh. The bowling would be good. But the batting, once so dominant and imperious now looked lost. Men like Dhawan and Raina did not fire consistently enough and the come back of Yuvraj Singh faded slowly and painfully. Dhoni, once a great finisher looked more comfortable taking twos than hitting boundaries.
Runners Up
Pakistan. There really isn't any other choice. They could easily have been the recipients of this award if not for the fact that they had showed signs of T20 decline for the last 18 months. No Umar Gul, no Saeed Ajmal, no Yasir Shah and a beleaguered, mediocre Afridi does not make a successful team. Time to rethink.
And now, onto the big one. The best actor category of cricketing awards, player of the tournament.
Player of the Tournament
Joe RootRuns - 249
Avg - 49.80
SR - 146.47
4s - 24 6s - 7
The third highest run scorer (backed up by 2 crucial wickets) and one of the highest rations of boundaries to runs in the entire tournament, the quiet "test specialist" has now become one of the best T20 batsmen on the planet. He was going up against T20 power houses in Kohli, Dhoni, Gayle and Afridi. Not only did he hold his own, he outperformed them on many an occasion. His 83 against South Africa propelled England to a world record chase. It also set up the rest of the tournament for them. To do all this in foreign conditions, in an environment entirely alien to him and to do it repeatedly will stand the test of time. This was one of the finest runs by an English batsmen in a tournament we have ever seen. To put it simply, nothing short of special.
Runners Up
Virat Kohli and Samuel Badree. The former was one of the pure stylists in this tournament. A man without whom India would never have left the group stages. He was also the second highest run getter in the tournament. Badree, though not the highest wicket taker, took most of them during the power play overs. How many T20 bowlers can boast that?
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