Sports
Wanidu Hasaranga among nominees for ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Year
Wanidu Hasaranga, Mohamed Rizwan, Mitchelle Marsh, and Jos Buttler are the nominees for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Year awards.
Here, we take a look at the memorable performances of the two brilliant wicket keepers and two all-rounders.
Mohammad Rizwan – Pakistan
1326 runs in 29 matches at an average of 73.66 with one century; 24 dismissals.
The Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter ruled the roost in 2021 when it came to the shortest format of the game. Aggregating a staggering 1326 runs in only 29 matches, Rizwan struck at an average of 73.66 and a strike-rate of 134.89. Apart from his exploits with the bat, he was as solid as ever behind the stumps, playing a key role in Pakistan’s run to the semis during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, where he ended up as the third-highest run-scorer.
He also scored the maiden T20I century of his career against South Africa in Lahore early in the year and ended it continuing his form with a brilliant knock of 87 against West Indies in Karachi. With another T20 World Cup coming up next year, Pakistan will hope that Rizwan continues in the same vein.
Though a chase of 152 looked easy on paper, Pakistan had the weight of history against them in the T20 World Cup encounter against India. With the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami in opposition attack, the task was made all the more complicated. But as was almost always the case in 2021, Rizwan along with his skipper Babar Azam ensured that a famous victory would be sealed that would be celebrated in the history of Pakistan cricket for years to come.
Rizwan smacked 79* in only 55 deliveries, hitting six fours and three sixes. The ease with which he countered the Indian bowling attack was a thing of sheer beauty. He ensured that there were no hiccups in the run-chase as Pakistan galloped towards the target without losing a single wicket to seal a 10-wicket victory.
Wanindu Hasaranga – Sri Lanka
36 wickets in 20 matches at 11.63; 196 runs with one half-century
It was a breakthrough year for Wanindu Hasaranga, who established himself as one of the best spinners in the shortest format while also being a player who could contribute with the bat. A consistent performer throughout the year, Hasaranga’s star shone the brightest during the T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman.
He ended the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps and also played some handy knocks with the bat, like his 71 against Ireland. He was a constant menace for the opposition as Sri Lanka impressed one and all during the tournament with their young and energetic side.
Still only 24, Hasaranga is expected to become a cornerstone of Sri Lankan cricket, especially in the shortest formats of the game.
In a pressure encounter in Sharjah against South Africa, Hasaranga almost single-handedly helped his side claw back into the contest with his brilliance with the ball. Claiming a memorable hat-trick, he took the big scalps of Aiden Markram (19) and Temba Bavuma (46) before dismissing Dwaine Pretorius to complete his hat-trick.
Hasaranga would end up with figures of 3/20 in his four-over spell, and it was only the power-hitting of David Miller at the death that got the Proteas over the line.
Mitchell Marsh – Australia
627 runs in 27 matches at 36.88; 8 wickets at 18.37.
The year that was
Australia’s success at the T20 World Cup can be traced back to the decision to move Mitchell Marsh up the batting order to No.3, instead of designating him the role of being a finisher lower down. Throughout the calendar year, he was their best batter in the shortest format, improving his game by leaps and bounds, especially against spin and when it came to rotating the strike.
He was the silver lining in Australia’s poor showings in West Indies and Bangladesh batting higher up the order. Heading into the tournament in UAE and Oman, he was in supreme confidence after his good displays and improved fitness. This led to a fruitful tournament as he aggregated 185 runs in 6 matches at an average of 61.66 and a healthy strike-rate of 146.82. He would reserve the best for the last, playing a match-winning knock in the final against New Zealand.
Chasing down a target of 173 and after the early departure of skipper Aaron Finch, the pressure was on Marsh to build a substantial partnership with David Warner. He did exactly that, playing his best knock of the tournament. His unbeaten 77 off 50 deliveries consisted of six fours and four sixes.
Starting off aggressively, he rotated the strike brilliantly in the middle overs as he teed off again towards the end. His knock ensured that Australia chased down the challenging target in only 18.5 overs, and were crowned the winners of the T20 World Cup for the first time. For his performance, he was adjudged the Player of the Match.
Jos Buttler – England
589 runs in 14 matches at 65.44 with one century; 13 dismissals
The year gone by
Buttler started the year off brilliantly with two blistering knocks against India away from home. He would continue this run in the subsequent series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, despite not playing all the matches. This boded well for England as their key batter was in sublime touch heading into the T20 World Cup.
He did not disappoint in the tournament, always getting his side off to brilliant starts. His two best knocks came in consecutive matches – first against age-old rivals Australia and then against Sri Lanka who faced his full wrath.
He ended the tournament as England’s leading run-scorer with 269 runs, as their run would be ended by New Zealand in the semi-finals in a nail-biting thriller.
Blasting the first century of the tournament, Buttler was at his belligerent best in the encounter against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. It was ball-striking of the highest order as the wicketkeeper-batter penetrated all areas of the ground.
His unbeaten 101 came in only 67 deliveries and consisted of six fours and six sixes. Buttler’s knock allowed England to post a competitive score of 163/4, which they ended up defending and winning the contest by 26 runs.
The value of his knock was accentuated as it came on a slow and low pitch in Sharjah, which wasn’t conducive to a stroke-maker like Buttler, with the batters finding it generally tough to time the ball.
(ICC)
Qualifier Maja Chwalinska is one win away from a fairytale French Open triumph after setting up a final showdown with Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva.
The Polish world number 114, who had only ever won one match at a Grand Slam before this tournament, continued her astonishing run at Roland Garros by beating 25th seed Diana Shnaider 7-6 (7-4) 6-4.
Three weeks and nine matches after her French Open campaign began, Chwalinska dropped to the ground after firing in the 32nd and final winner of another scintillating display.
With that, she became the first qualifier in history to reach the women’s singles final at Roland Garros, and the crowd chanted her name as she spoke in her post-match interview.
On Saturday, she will attempt to become only the second qualifier in the Open era to win a Grand Slam after Britain’s Emma Raducannu at the 2021 US Open.
It would be a fitting conclusion to a French Open filled with spectacular shocks from the outset.
But, on the evidence of her dominant victory over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk, the in-form Andreeva will provide the sternest test of her credentials to date.
A beaten semi-finalist in 2024, the 19-year-old was hugely impressive in a 6-1 6-3 victory that made her the third-youngest woman to reach the Roland Garros showpiece this century, after Coco Gauff and Kim Clijsters.
Should she prevail in her first major final, eighth seed Andreeva would become the third-youngest first-time Grand Slam champion this century, after Maria Sharapova and Raducanu.
(BBC)
Pakistan edged home in a low-scoring tussle to secure their third straight ODI series win against Australia. They batted with grit and patience to scale the target of 158 with four wickets and 49 balls remaining on a square-turner in Lahore.
Pakistan – in a surprising move – produced spin-heavy surfaces for this series, which was supposed to test their player pool ahead of the next year’s ODI World Cup in southern Africa and the pitch for the last match offered extra bite to the spinners as the ball turned and bounced sharply, making run-scoring a difficult proposition, especially during the chase.
Maaz Sadaqat seemed aware of how tough batting would get as the innings progressed and he provided Pakistan a rapid start with a 26-ball 27, hitting five fours. He must have taken notes watching Josh Inglis bat in the first innings, as the Australia captain picked up boundaries in the first powerplay to make the most of the run-scoring opportunities with the balls – one from each end – hard and new.
However, Sadaqat was trapped in front by Matt Short as he looked to paddle-sweep his off-break. The left hander did not curb his attacking instincts despite the wicket of Sahibzada Farhan in the third over as he fell prey to Nathan Ellis’ vicious off-cutter.
The chase was anchored by Babar Azam who made a gutsy 40. He hit only three boundaries – two off Matt Kuhnemann and the other off Ellis – in his 84-ball vigil at the crease. Ellis, who had removed him in the previous two matches, tested his defences with his variations, but Babar had done his homework and seemed to be picking his cutters and slower-ones from the hand rather than the pitch.
The highlight of his stay was his battle with Kuhnemann, who beat his outside edge on myriad occasions. The left-arm finger spinner dragged him forward with his tossed up deliveries on a length and spun the ball away from him sharply. Babar, on each occasion, covered his off stump intelligently, bringing his bat and front foot in unison. But he was undone when Kuhnemann dragged his length back a fraction and produced a magnificent delivery which ripped past the outside edge as Babar went on the back foot.
Kuhnemann had previously removed Ghazi Ghori and Salman Ali Agha to keep Australia in the contest and he finished with 3 for 38. When Matt Renshaw also struck for his first ODI wicket, having Arafat Minhas held at slip by Cameron Green after a bobble, Pakistan were wobbling on 112 for 6
They were dragged over the line by Shadab Khan, who Pakistan feel is their next batting allrounder, as he made an unbeaten 29 off 42 in an unbeaten partnership of 49 with Abdul Samad.
Australia had been skittled for 157 in 42 overs, losing 7 for 38 from 119 for 3, as Shaheen Shah Afridi took three wickets alongside two apiece for Abrar Ahmed and Shadab after Inglis decided to bat having comfortably defended 232 in the previous match.
The decider began 15 minutes late because of a brief downpour. The only innings of note in the first half of the match was posted by Inglis who made 65 off 71 balls having been moved up to open, with the next best score was 19.
After Short had picked out mid-on second ball of the match (following Alex Carey’s first-ball dismissal two days ago) Inglis batted with fluency. He took on Afridi and welcomed Minhas with a crunching drive for four then a monstrous inside-out six over cover. In an innings in which he scored heavily on the off side, Inglis unfurled reverse sweeps against the spin. He made only 13 out of 65 runs on the leg side.
Marnus Labuschagne’s struggles in ODIs and on this tour continued as a mix up in the 12th over curtailed his stay. He was supporting Inglis by milking the spinners and seemed to have settled when Inglis did not return his call for a second. He had to scramble back from the middle of the wicket only to fall short of a Minhas’ direct hit from the non-striker’s end.
Carey provided a supporting hand to Inglis in a 52-run partnership before a scorching delivery from Haris Rauf nipped into him and struck the top of middle stump. It sparked a collapse and soon Afridi had Inglis and Cameron Green caught across three balls at the start of his second spell.
Salman then took a sharp catch at slip as Abrar lured Renshaw – Australia’s best batter on the tour – into a drive. Abrar also bowled Cooper Connolly in his next over as Australia slipped from 119 for 3 to 131 for 7. Connolly, who replaced Tanveer Sangha, was playing as a batter only as he continues to recover from a back injury which prevented him bowling during the IPL.
Shadab’s wicketless patch finally ended after five ODIs (and more than 300 deliveries) when Ghori took a spectacular catch as the ball looped off Oli Peake’s foot after taking an inside edge. It was after the second ODI that Mike Hesson, the Pakistan head coach, had relegated Shadab to the fifth bowler in this line-up, but the legspinner bowled with good rhythm, bringing the stumps into play more often by tossing the ball on length regularly.
He had Adam Zampa bowled off a ball that stayed low in the 42nd over before the run out of Ellis brought an end to the innings.
Whether producing rank-turners for these three games was the best preparation for the 2027 World Cup which will be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia is debatable. That Pakistan have something to celebrate after their poor ODI and Test tour of Bangladesh and a hapless outing in the T20 World Cup will motivate this side.
Scores:
Pakistan 161 for 6 in 41.5 overs (Babar Azam 40, Shadab Khan 29*; Matthew Kuhnemann 3-38) beat Australia 157 in 42 overs (Josh Inglis 65; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-30, Abear Ahmed 2-19, Shadab Khan 2-28 ) by four wickets
[Cricinfo]
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