The ODI Super League is well and truly on its way with the Netherlands registering a 2-1 victory against Ireland. Each of the 13 teams has now at least played one ODI series (3 matches) on their way to 24 games.
In case you missed these two series, here is a brief recap and major takeaways.
Stephen Myburgh – 105 runs (best of 74, 50s-1, 35.00 average, 60.69 SR)
Paul Stirling – 126 runs (best of 69, 50s-2, 42.00 average, 69.23 SR)
Most Wickets
Logan van Beek – 6 wickets (best of 4/18, 12.42 average, 2.96 Economy)
Josh Little – 8 wickets (best of 4/39, 13.25 average, 3.53 Economy)
Major Takeaways
Here are some of the highlights of the Netherlands Vs Scotland & Ireland 2021 series.
Scotland
Alasdair Evans was the hero of the second ODI. His figures of 9.4-2-43-5 limited Netherlands to 171.
George Munsey did the rest with an unbeaten 79 (119). After a brief collapse, the 106* run partnership with Dylan Budge took Scotland across the line.
The experienced duo of captain Kyle Coetzer & Calum MacLeod had a sub-par series. Coetzer mustering a total of 26 runs & MacLeod with just 14.
Netherlands
Max O’Dowd successfully established himself at the top of the Dutch batting order with a match-winning 82 (102) in the first ODI vs Scotland. A couple of decent 20-30s in the low scoring Ireland series as well. Averages 55.00 in his young 7-ODI career so far.
Tim van der Gugten was the difference between the two sides in the Ireland series. In the first ODI, his 49 (60) with 4 sixes in the first ODI took Netherlands from 102-7 to a competitive total of 195. Netherlands won by 1 run.
In the 3rd ODI against Ireland, experienced campaigner Stephen Myburgh took Netherlands home with a 74 (111) to get them across the line in an uneasy chase of 166. At 37, he may not have a long career ahead, but he is contributing to the Dutch cause one game at a time.
Ireland
Paul Stirling is the best ODI batsman since the pandemic. He has definitely slowed down from his aggressive instinct, but his consistency has hit great strides. 2 fifties this series to go along with his 3 centuries post-COVID. Playing a lone hand at the top.
George Dockrell & William Porterfield make their ODI comebacks. Dockrell, the left arm spinner, has resurrected his career as a #5 all-rounder. He scored a 40 in the 3rd ODI but could not carry on. Former captain Porterfield had a rough outing with scores of 0 & 5. End of a glorious career or does he have one more World Cup campaign in him? Another Irish legend Kevin O’Brien replaced Porterfield at the top of the order for the 3rd ODI.
The bowling was one of the few shining lights for Ireland. Josh Little returned with figures of 3/36, 4/39, & 1/35 & Craig Young with 3/34 & 9.2-2-18-4 in the 2nd ODI. Good support by Barry McCarthy, Simi Singh, & Andy McBrine as well.
Boyd Rankin, famous for representing both Ireland & England in Test cricket, hung up his boots at the age of 36. Debuting back in 2007, he was one of their first actual pace bowlers. 2007 & 2011 World Cups, 2013-14 Ashes, and finally the Ireland Test debut in 2018, he witnessed it all. Have a great second innings!
ODI Super League Status
Ireland are reeling at #10, with only 2 wins from 9 matches, having lost 1-2 vs England & 0-3 vs Afghanistan already. They would have wanted 30 points (3-0) from the Netherlands series, but lost 2 games.
Netherlands are at #9 with 20 points (2/3 wins). Although there is still a long time to go, with Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland struggling (and South Africa currently at #12), Netherlands have a shot at direct qualification.
In any case, Ireland & Netherlands are finally getting their share of cricket they need to go to the next level. Unfortunately, Scotland barely missed out on ODI status and are not guaranteed many ODIs.
Where Do They Go From Here?
Ireland
Ireland have already completed 3 ODI Super League series, the most among any team. They are due for two more series later in the year:
South Africa are scheduled to tour Ireland for 3 ODIs & 3 T20Is (July 2021)
Then, Zimbabwe tour Ireland for 3 ODIs & 5 T20Is (August 2021)
An ODI series against West Indies is penned for January 2022. Finally, they also have to reschedule the COVID-postponed series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.
Netherlands
Although Netherlands do not have any immediate matches scheduled, the ODI Super League guarantees them 3-match ODI series against South Africa (September), Afghanistan (December), New Zealand (January 2022), England (May 2022).
Series cancelled due to COVID-19 will be scheduled later against Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Netherlands, Ireland, & Scotland have all qualified for the 2021 T20 World Cup, so we will see a glimpse of them later in the year.
What did y’all think about the Netherlands Vs Scotland & Ireland 2021 series? Let us know below!
Bangladesh tours of New Zealand & Sri Lanka review.
It seemed that instead of a complete tour, Bangladesh played several small series over the last few months. The Tigers played 3-match ODI & T20I series in New Zealand, then a 2-match Test series in Sri Lanka, followed by 3 ODIs at home against the same opposition.
The last couple of months can be summed up with a disappointment for Bangladesh but some positive news at the end for the currently #1 ranked team in the ODI Super League. Good finds by the Kiwis and Lankans as well.
There were numerous moments in this Bangladesh tours of New Zealand & Sri Lanka. Here are the major takeaways.
New Zealand
Devon Conway, Glenn Phillips, & Daryl Mitchellsolidified their places during this tour
After his Test ton against Pakistan, Mitchell scored 100* (92) in the 3rd ODI, pushing New Zealand to 318/6. Quickfire 34* (16) in the rain-curtailed 2nd T20I as well. It is a shame that he is not a regular due to the rich presence of Colin de Grandhomme & Mitchell Santner.
Devon Conway has now conquered Test cricket with a double century at Lord’s, but before that his debut ODI series against Bangladesh included a fifty and a maiden century—126 in the 3rd ODI. Highest scorer in both the ODI & T20I series and donned the gloves as well.
Glenn Phillips finished the first T20I with a blistering 24* (10) along with a 58* (23) in the 2nd T20I, rescuing NZ from 55-3 in 6.1 overs to 173/5 in 17.5 overs.
New Zealand are now unearthing fast bowlers & youngsters at an alarming rate. Tim Seifert, Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Kyle Jamieson, Tom Blundell & Devon Conway have all performed in the past season, and the Kiwis can now add Finn Allen & Will Young to that list after the T20I series.
Prior to the T20I series, Will Young had a total of 60 runs in 2 Tests & 2 ODIs. He announced himself with 53 (30) with four sixes in the first T20I to cement his place in the T20I squad for the near future.
Finn Allen’s blistering 71* (29) was an innings of a lifetime. 10 fours, 3 sixes, and an 85 run partnership with Martin Guptill in just 5.4 overs. The Kiwis ended with 141/4 in a ten-over game. Bangladesh?—76 all out.
The return of Martin Guptill & Tim Southee
In Williamson’s absence, Latham captained the ODI series while Tim Southee took the T20I reigns. Latham justified his selection with a match winning 110* (108) in a successful 272 run-chase.
With youngsters knocking on the doors, several questions on the seniors. Ross Taylor is already out of the T20I squad with the influx of talent, and Guptill & Southee were under the scanner.
After the successful Australia series, Guptill responded with scores of 38, 20, 26, 35, 21, & 44 in this series. Does not look ultra-impressive but strike rates of 200.00, 83.33, 92.85, 129.62, 116.66, & 231.57 were exactly the kind of starts New Zealand expect from Guptill. Needs to convert soon though.
Southee’s 3/15 in the 3rd T20I removed any hope for Bangladesh’s chase. Ended as the highest wicket-taker in the T20I series and now performing in the England Tests. 2nd wind for the 32 year old?
Anyway, these were just the major moments. Comeback for Adam Milne along with good outings for Jimmy Neesham, Todd Astle (4/13), Ish Sodhi (4/28), Matt Henry (4/27), Lockie Ferguson.
Bangladesh
Batting, Youngsters, & Overseas Victories a Concern For Bangladesh
From March 20th to May 23rd, Bangladesh lost 6 consecutive matches in New Zealand & lost the Test series 0-1 in Sri Lanka. Over the two Tests, Bangladesh were on the field for 4-5 days, which contributed to mental fatigue. These overseas series really hurt Bangladesh’s confidence, and even though they finally won the home ODI series that followed, they did not play well according to captain Tamim Iqbal.
Apart from the 2nd ODI & 2nd T20I against NZ, Bangladesh’s score read 131/10 (41.5), 154/10 in 42.4 (after being 8/102), 6/59 (7.5), & 76/10 (9.3). In the Sri Lanka ODI series, Rahim-Mahmudlluah rescued Bangaldesh from 99/4 (22.6), 74/4 (15.4), and 84/4 in 23.2 (en route 189/10). Top order issues galore.
19,0, 21, 0, 4, 6,0, 0, 25 read Liton Das’ limited overs scores – 4 ducks. Test scores of 50, 8 & 17 not much better. I really hope Liton Das has a Rohit Sharma-esque 2013 resurrection given his immense talent. Six years since his debut, Das averages 20.83 (T20I), 28.78 (ODI), & 28.35 (Tests) in 117 innings. Only 3 centuries and 15 fifties. Cannot depend on Tamim Iqbal forever, especially with Mohammad Naim & Soumya Sarkar blowing hot and cold.
The M Factor & Absence of Shakib Al Hasan Felt Dearly
Although Shakib Al Hasan returned in the Sri Lanka ODI series, he was sorely missed in the New Zealand leg. In the spin bowling department, there were brief sparks, but not much else, from Nasum Ahmed & name twins—Mahedi Hasan & Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who bowled in tandem. Lacking in control & consistency.
At one point, Sri Lanka used to have the M Factor. In the Sri Lanka ODI series, Bangladesh unleashed the M Factor of their own—Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahmudullah, Mushfiqur Rahim, & Mustafizur Rahman.
Opening the bowling, Mehidy’s miserly 4/30 & 3/28 were match-winning spells. Bodes well if 2023 World Cup in India has these slow pitches.
Although not back at his best yet, Mustafizur Rahman is slowly getting there (see Jarrod Kimber’s analysis here). His slow off-cutters are back and his 6-1-16-3 in the 2nd ODI was especially good (to go with 9-0-34-3 in first ODI).
Highest run-scorer at #4 since the 2015 World Cup, Mushfiqur Rahim has to be one of the most underrated players of this era. This series showed exactly why with his 84 (87) & 125 (127) sealing the deal for Bangladesh.
Mahmudullah was the only saving grace in NZ with a 76* in the final ODI. Followed it up with 54, 41, 53 in the SL series. Mushfiqur-Mahmudullah emerging as legendary lower order ODI rescue partners.
Still Some Positives For the Tigers
Captains Tamim Iqbal & Mominul Haque provide consistency. Looks like the split captaincy is working. Adding to Najmul Hossain Shanto’s 163, Mominul scored a defiant ton in Sri Lanka, while Tamim has a few 50s (92 & 90 in SL Tests) on these two tours. Only if the team starts winning now…
It looked like Bangladesh had turned a corner in the 2015 World Cup with a pace attack of Mashrafe Mortaza, Rubel Hossain, & Taskin Ahmed. Taskin’s decline was heartbreaking but he is back among the wickets with 8 wickets in the Test series. With decent find in 20-year old Shoriful Islam, a lineup of Mustafizur-Mehidy-Taskin-Saifuddin-Shoriful-Shakib might be exactly what the Tigers need.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka are rocking some young left-arm spinners. Embuldeniya earlier this year and now Praveen Jayawickrama with a 11-wicket haul on debut. This included two 5-fers, 6/92 & 5/86 as Sri Lanka won the Test series.
Karunatarane (244, 118, 66) Thirimanne (58, 140), Dhananjaya de Silva (166, 41), Niroshan Dickwella (31, 77*) had dream batting days that took Sri Lanka to scores of 684/8d, 493/7d, 194/9d. They did not get bowled out even once.
Dusmantha Chameera has one of Sri Lanka’s bright stars amidst their downfall. He improved over the course of thh ODI series with figures of 1/39, 3/44, and a match-winning spell of 9-1-16-5. Winning hand by new-ODI captain Kusal Perera in the final ODI as well – 120 (122).
Here are my early squad predictions for the 23-member T20I World Cup Squad based on the NZ-Ban T20I series. Kane Williamson’s spot in danger?
New Zealand
Martin Guptill, 2. Tim Seifert (WK), 3. Kane Williamson*, 4. Devon Conway, 5. Glenn Phillips, 6. Colin de Grandhomme, 7. Mitchell Santner, 8. Tim Southee, 9. Trent Boult, 10. Lockie Ferguson, 11. Ish Sodhi
Squad: 12. Finn Allen, 13. Will Young, 14. Jimmy Neesham, 15. Daryl Mitchell, 16. Kyle Jamieson, 17. Todd Astle, 18. Hamish Bennett, 19. Blair Tickner, 20. Jacob Duffy, 21. Mark Chapman, 22. Ross Taylor, 23. Doug Bracewell/Scott Kuggeleijn
*captain
Bangladesh
Tamim Iqbal, 2. Liton Das, 3. Soumya Sarkar, 4. Mushfiqur Rahim (WK), Shakib Al Hasan, 6. Mahmudullah, 7. Afif Hossain, 8. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9. Mohammad Saifuddin, 10. Mustafizur Rahman, 11. Taskin Ahmed
Squad: 12. Mohammad Naim, 13. Najmul Hossain Shanto, 14. Mosaddek Hossain, 15. Mahedi Hasan, 16. Nasum Ahmed, 17. Shoriful Islam, 18. Rubel Hossain, 19. Mohammad Mithun, 20. Al-Amin Hossain, 21. Hasan Mahmud, 22. Abu Haider, 23. Sabbir Rahman
Awards
Here are the awards for Bangladesh Tours of New Zealand & Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Emerging Player
Mahedi Hasan
Finn Allen
Praveen Jayawickrama
Surprise Package
Taskin Ahmed in Sri Lanka
Daryl Mitchell, Will Young
Dimuth Karunaratne
Broken Cricket Dream
Bangladesh cricket on a downfall?
BJ Watling to retire; Ross Taylor’s retirement on the way?
Flat Road Pitches in the first Test
Thisara Perera retires
Series Awards
Where Do They Go From Here?
Although Bangladesh had a tough two months, they are sitting at the top of the ODI Super League Table with 5 wins from 9 matches. New Zealand are on #5 (3/3) and Sri Lanka are struggling at #13 (1/6). Bangladesh have no upcoming series for a while.
New Zealand are currently in England for 2 Tests & World Test Championship final. Apart from the forthcoming T20 leagues, the Kiwis have no assignments till the T20 World Cup in October-November. After the World Cup, New Zealand has a short limited overs tour of Australia in January 2022.
Sri Lanka travel to England for 3 T20Is & 3 ODIs in June followed by a home series against India for 3 ODIs & 3 T20Is in July. Later in February Sri Lanka will follow NZ’s suit and travel to Australia for 5 T20Is.
Comment below for your favorite moments in Bangladesh tours of New Zealand & Sri Lanka! Subscribe for more below! Share with your friends as well! Here is our Facebook& Twitter pages.
What do they all have in common? They are all candidates for the Most Underrated Cricketers. Can you create an XI of these so-called underrated players?
First we need to define what it means to be ‘underrated?’
Definition:These cricketers may not break into the Current World XI, but are great players in their own right. They usually flow under the radar and might not have the largest fan clubs.
To limit our search, here are the rules:
Minimum of 100 international matches across formats
Maximum of 1 player per country
Should be able to field a team – 5 bowlers and wicket keeper needed
Build an Underrated XI to go head to head against Current World XI.
Imagine an opposition XI consisting of David Warner, Mohammad Rizwan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Babar Azam, Kane Williamson, Steve Smith, Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Shakib Al Hasan, Ravindra Jadeja, Pat Cummins, Rashid Khan, Mitchell Starc, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jasprit Bumrah, & Trent Boult in the opposition.
The Catch
Majority of the New Zealand team will walk in the ‘underrated’ XI if we do not keep a 1-player limit per country—Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Henry Nicholls. If you only had to choose one, which one would you go with?
Rahul Dravid, Cheteshwar Pujara, & Hashim Amla have a massive cult following. Understated cricketers for sure, but not necessarily underrated.
Why is he underrated: Although Ireland cricket does not receive much media coverage, 2020 showed why he is one of the bests in the town. 3 hundreds in just 5 matches with 105.00 average was the highlight of the COVID-hit cricket calendar. Continues his good form in the ongoing Ireland-Netherlands series.
Why is he underrated: Wonderful player for Pakistan cricket, but never really got the recognition he deserved, even from his own country. One of the standouts of the 2010s, especially overseas performances. 6579 of those runs came in Test matches. He has scored a triple century, hundreds in each innings, and carried a bat once.
Why is he underrated: Sandwiched between the generations of Graeme Smith-Jacques Kallis-Mark Boucher-Shaun Pollock and Hashim Amla-AB De Villiers-Dale Steyn, Faf’s career was delayed about seven years. Highly regarded as a captain, Faf may have never gotten his due as a batsman. High commodity in T20 leagues.
Why is he underrated: Will go down as the best #4 ODI batsman of all time, and has most New Zealand batting records to his name. Neither is he quite as outspoken as Brendon McCullum, and nor is he as popular as Kane Williamson. Not considered in the Fab 5 either. A mainstay in this Kiwi generation nevertheless.
Why is he underrated: One of the pillars of Bangladesh’s growth, Rahim has come into his own over the past 4-5 years. He has the best record for #4 since the 2015 WC after Ross Taylor. Only wicketkeeper to score 3 double centuries in Test cricket. Energetic behind the stumps and plays innovative shots. Why doesn’t he ever get an IPL contract?
Why is he underrated: In and out of the national side due to run-ins with the board, there was never any doubt on his talent. In the form of his life, average 132.00 in Tests this year with 2 centuries.
Why is he underrated: Speaking of run-ins with the board, Angelo Mathews. Debuted as Sri Lanka’s future in their golden generation, but has not quite lived up to the potential due to injuries, fitness issues, and problems with Sri Lanka Cricket Board. Does not bowl much anymore, but still has a stellar all-round record. Gritty batter.
Why is he underrated: With Jimmy Anderson & Stuart Broad in the England team for the majority of the decade and due to the emergence of Jofra Archer & Mark Wood, Chris Woakes has never really received a consistent run. He has delivered in his limited opportunities and his record in England (specifically Lord’s) is impeccable. One of the greatest underutilized all-round talent of all time. Oh yeah, and has the highest ODI score for a #8 batsman (95*).
Why is he underrated: Sharma has always been under the radar compared to his standout peers—Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Jasprit Bumrah, & Mohammad Shami. Yet, his consistent work ethic has been a boon for the Indian team. After a prodigious beginning with that Ponting spell, ‘unlucky’ middle stage, and Faulkner’s 2013 ODI assault, Sharma is finally reaping rewards in the final stage of his career. Now an elderly brother figure to the young fast bowlers.
Why is he underrated: What names come to your mind when once speaks of West Indian pacers? Walsh, Ambrose, Holding, Marshall, Garner, Roberts? Well, sadly these are all from the past era, but Roach is leading a revival of fast bowling in the Caribbean. Not quite as fast after injury, his consistency has lead him to the 8th highest Test wicket-taker for the West Indies.
Why is he underrated: The 2010s was the revival of leg-spinners & wristspinners—think Rashid Khan, Imran Tahir, Adil Rashid, Yuzvendra Chahal & Kuldeep Yadav, Ish Sodhi, and now, Lasith Embuldeniya. Adam Zampa will not be considered the best legspinner of the generation nor will he be in the top of the Australian list due to the presence Shane Warne & Stuart MacGill. Yet, he is a vital cog in the Aussie limited overs lineup.
Why is he underrated: While Mohammad Nabi & Rashid Khan are considered the beacon of Afghanistan talent, Asghar Afghan, the captain & batsman, is the heart of the Afghanistan team. Removed from captaincy once again, but has always been their leader. A clean six-hitter as well.
Here was my Current Underrated XI, but what about an All-Time XI? There are way too many players to choose from, but I am curious what you would choose? Send in your submissions in the Comment section below!
Here is my short list:
India – Ajit Agarkar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Roger Binny, Farookh Engineer, Suresh Raina, Chetan Chauhan
Sri Lanka – Thilan Samaraweera, Rangana Herath, Upul Tharanga
Pakistan – Moin Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Gul
New Zealand – Daniel Vettori, Chris Harris, Craig McMillan
South Africa – Barry Richards, Graeme Pollock, Clive Rice, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel
England – Alan Knott, Alec Stewart, Michael Atherton, Mike Brearley
West Indies – Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Alvin Kallicharran, Desmond Haynes
Australia – Damien Martyn, Jason Gillespie, Justin Langer
Zimbabwe – Flower Brothers
A Bit of Philosophy, Of Course
Not all players get their due that was due to them. To be honest, I am not a huge fan of this ‘underrated,’ ‘unlucky’, ‘overrated’, ‘Agree or Die’ jargon that goes around in Twitter.
Every sports player tries to give it their all. Not every player can scale the heights of a Sachin Tendulkar or have millions of fans & followers. However, as long as they fulfill their defined role & help their team win, they have done enough.
Why should we compare players anyway? Let us just enjoy watching them when we have time and try to learn from each and every one.
Here was my list of underrated cricketers. How about you? Let us know in the comment sections below. And if you like these ‘Create your Own’ World XIs, check these articles out below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is the most underrated international cricketer?
Ross Taylor, Faf du Plessis, and Mushfiqur Rahim are currently the most underrated international cricketer. Paul Stirling, Azhar Ali, Sean Williams, Angelo Mathews, Chris Woakes, Ishant Sharma, Kemar Roach, Adam Zampa, Asghar Afghan, Tom Latham, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling among others.
Who is the most underrated batter of all time?
Ross Taylor is the most underrated batter of all time. Desmond Haynes, Shivnairne Chanderpaul, Jacques Kallis among others.
Who is the most underrated bowler of all time?
Ajit Agarkar, Daniel Vettori, and Rangana Herath are the most underrated bowler of all time. Here is the rest of the list.
Image Courtesy: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Greek philosopher Heraclitus penned a now famous phrase, “Change is the only constant in life, ” and well, it seems that the Cricket World Cup (CWC) formats took this quote a little too seriously.
Group stage, round-robin, Super Sixes, Super Eights, knockouts—you name it, the format has been experimented with.
History Repeats Itself
From an 8-team event (1975, 1979), the CWC gradually grew to nine teams (1992), then 12 (1996, 1999), 14-teams (2003), and finally reached its inflection point with 16 teams in the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
The 2007 iteration was poorly received for various reasons, but one of the fallouts was halting the gradual expansion of Associate nations in World Cups. With genuine upsets from Ireland & Bangladesh against Pakistan, India, and later South Africa, the ICC lost a major chunk of funding.
The impact?
2011 & 2015 World Cups went back to the ‘90s formats with an elongated 14-team event, while the 10-team 2019 & 2023 events have revived the 1992 round-robin structure, providing as much game time (and hence, financial stability) for the big teams.
If It Is Broke, Fix It
The change of management has done wonders for the ICC—reducing the power of the Big 3, promoting the idea of cricket in the Olympics, and expanding the game with coordinated World Cups with a blockbuster World Cup schedule for the next decade:
Men’s ODI World Cup & Women’s ODI Champions Trophy (2023, 2027, 2031)
Women’s ODI World Cup & Men’s Champions Trophy (2025, 2029)
Women’s & Men’s T20I World Cups (2024, 2026, 2028, 2030)
World Test Championship Final (2023, 2025, 2027, 2029, 2031)
There is at least one major tournament for both men & women every year with the odd years also including the World Test Championship final.
Expansion Is the Will of the Nature
If you thought that was good news, hear this out.
The 54-match ODI World Cup is expanded to a 14-team affair (throwback to 2003) – 2 groups of 7, followed by Super Sixes, and finally the semi-finals & the finals.
The 55-match T20I World Cups will well and truly be a ‘world cup’—20 team tournament, 4 groups of 5, a Super Eight Stage, followed by semi-finals & finals. The T20I World Cup will guarantee at least 4 games for eight non-Test playing nations. Massive improvement.
With expanded World Cups, this provides incentive & motivation for Associate players to continue the game. Several Associate cricketers have taken premature retirements for opportunities elsewhere. This will add the fuel to keep them going.
Basketball has caught up with the FIFA benchmark of world cups with a 32-team event, while field hockey & rugby are 16-team affairs. It is time that cricket expand and catch up to the will of nature.
Revisiting the Glory Days
Remember Dwayne Leverlock’s one-handed stunner? Or Shapoor Zadran’s emotional celebration?
This is what World Cups are for—discovering new talents, cherishing the moments, providing a platform for smaller teams to grow, and promoting competition, not diminishing it.
The Associate Nations have provided numerous moments of glory—World Cup’s fastest century at the hand of Kevin O’Brien to hand England a defeat in Bangalore, Stuart Broad’s missed run-out/overthrow giving way for a Netherlands victory, Zimbabwe’s defeat to world-beaters Australia in 2007, and Bangladesh’s rise via CWC victories against Pakistan (1999), India, South Africa (2007), and England (2011, 2015).
Gruesome Qualifier Tournaments Out of the Window
With the expanded World Cup formats, one thing is for certain. The added salt to injury, also known as the Qualifiers, will have a lesser impact.
After Afghanistan & Ireland attained Test Status and became Full Members, the 2019 & 2023 formats were even more difficult to digest. It is a cricket sin for Full Members to not be a part of the World Cup. Zimbabwe & Ireland did not make it to the 2019 WC, and it is likely that even someone like Sri Lanka can lose out on a spot in the next world cup.
Case & point is the 2018 CWC Qualifier, one of the more closely fought tournaments in recent times. Scotland was in sight of qualifying at the expense of the West Indies or Afghanistan, when rain arrived and Scotland mathemagically lost by 5 runs due to the DL method. Zimbabwe also missed out on a qualification spot due a rained-out match.
An over or two should not determine fates for a World Cup qualification. Even worse was the T20 tournaments. After a 51-match qualification tournament for Associates, teams would enter a 3-match ‘pre-qualification’ stage in the actual world cup itself! Ludicrous.
In 2016, Bangladesh & Afghanistan proceeded to the next round while Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Oman, & Ireland crashed out.
Double disqualification, I like to call it. Survivor of the fittest ones that have the most money.
Warning: Potential Conflicts & T10 Format Ahead
Not everything will be fixed by expanding the Word Cup, however. Last month, the ICC backed T10 Cricket in Olympics. I am in full support of cricket in the Olympics albeit T20.
However, with a T20 World Cup now scheduled every two years, including 2028 & 2032, T20 cricket in the Los Angeles & Brisbane Summer Olympics look like a distant dream. Creating an international T10 format might be the only feasible choice, further crowding the international and the T10/T20 leagues calendar.
In any case, I will definitely take more context in cricket calendar, & support for the Associate & lower-ranked nations in exchange of embracing the T10 format.
It is the Little Moments That Matter
Did we really need a World Cup to prove that in the ‘80s the West Indians were a class apart or the Australians were the best in the world in the 2000s?
No, but a World Cup or Olympics is much more than that. So, why have predictable world cup formats?
Surprises & uncertainty, thrills & chills, unity in a divided world, and sportsmanship & hope amidst despair—that is what sport is all about.
It is about time cricket puts the world back in its so-called world cup.
New Zealand Vs England 2021 Test Series Preview—an understated rivalry.
“Bowled ’em! Got him 3rd ball.”
“England have won the world cup by the barest of margins. By the barest of all margins.”
Scars from Starc’s dismissal of Brendon McCullum in the 2015 World Cup Final & Martin Guptill’s run-out in that Super Over still run deep. The Black Caps have lost the last two ODI World Cup finals, a Champions Trophy final (2009), and four semi-finals (2 T20I, 2 ODI) all within the last fifteen years.
Although South Africa are known as the perennial chokers, and India are the new holders of the tag after an underachieving decade, New Zealand are not that far behind. They have one more shot with a final at Lord’s with the World Test Championship against India. The real question is, are Kiwis prepared for glory?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, New Zealand have important couple of test matches against England as prep.
I do not know about you, but I am very excited about this series. Since the abandonment of the IPL, there has been barely any international cricket.
This is not part of the World Test Championship (WTC) or the Future Tours Programme (FTC). This series has no-context on paper, but numerous interesting little stories running in the background nevertheless.
New Zealand – Conway’s Debut & Watling’s Retirement Talk of the Town
Devon Conway has to have one of the greatest cricketing stories in recent memory. Not able to get into the secondary club teams in South Africa 5 years ago, he is now about to get a Test debut at Lord’s. Sold everything in South Africa, churned a mountain runs in New Zealand’s first class system, and has been rewarded accordingly. The result?
14 T20Is, 4-50s, best of 99*, 59.12 average, 151.11 SR
3 ODIs, 1-100, 1-50, best of 126, 75.00 average, 88.23 SR
Tough luck for Tom Blundell (2-100s & 2-50s in just 16 innings) & Will Young (couple of county tons coming into the series)
BJ Watling, one of the greatest wicketkeepers of recent times & definitely for New Zealand, has decided to hang up his boots. Brilliant behind the stumps, and known for his ‘rescue acts.’ A daddy hundred or two from tough situations in the next three Tests will go a long way.
New Zealand has a wealth of allrounders. Daryl Mitchell’s last outing in international cricket has been a positive one – 100* (ODI) & 102* (Tests). Expect him to slot in the XI even though Colin de Grandhomme is back in the squad (with a great hairdo as well I shall add) & Mitchell Santner is always a valuable asset.
Although New Zealand now have a well balanced squad and great depth, the big guns will still need to fire—Tim Southee, Neil Wagner, Tom Latham, captain Kane Williamson, & veteran Ross Taylor.
Come for the @VitalityBlast action, stay for the Colin de Grandhomme throwback! 👏👨🦱
England – What do England have to Gain from this Series?
With Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, the Currans, Chris Woakes, & Jofra Archer (elbow surgery) out due to IPL quarantine, the entire lower-middle order will be missing in action. This will provide the England management to test their depth. Debuts for keeper James Bracey & fast bowler Ollie Robinson on the cards, with the likes of Olly Stone, Craig Overton, and comeback kid, Haseeb Hameed, on the sidelines.
Jimmy Anderson is poised to play his 161st Test match, joint-highest for England along with Sir Alastair Cook. Eight wickets away from a monumental 1000 first class wickets, 5 wickets away from Anil Kumble‘s 619, and 94 wickets to Shane Warne, it might well be a season of records for Anderson.
Joe Root has had a stellar Test year with 794 runs & 3 tons, including a couple of daddy hundreds in Sri Lanka & India. Can he back it up with a home season of the ages?
Burns-Sibley-Crawley against New Zealand’s swing bowlers—The opening combination was under a bit of fire in Asia, but it will not get any easier against Southee-Henry-Jamieson-de Grandhomme-Mitchell-Wagner.
Partial crowds (around 25%) are back at Lord’s. Good news for cricket fans, and hope things remain safe for time to come.
Prediction
Verdict: New Zealand win 1-0
England
New Zealand
Player of the Series/MVP
Zak Crawley
Henry Nicholls
Most Runs
Zak Crawley
Ross Taylor
Most Wickets
Stuart Broad
Tim Southee
Emerging Player
Ollie Robinson
Will Young
Surprise Package
James Bracey (WK)
Daryl Mitchell/ Colin de Grandhomme
New Zealand Vs England 2021 Test Series Predictions
Kiwis have an upper hand, but do not count England out. Both teams are filled with great fast bowling talent, but New Zealand’s all-round & batting has the edge.
I am going with New Zealand 1-0. A closely fought first game, with New Zealand narrowly winning & holding England to at least a draw in the second match.
What about you? Let us know in the comments below!
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These are my starting XI for the first Test (assuming everyone is available in terms of COVID and injuries).
New Zealand
Tom Latham, 2. Tom Blundell, 3. Kane Williamson*, 4. Ross Taylor, 5. Henry Nicholls, 6. BJ Watling*, 7. Daryl Mitchell, 8. Kyle Jamieson, 9. Tim Southee, 10. Matt Henry, 11. Neil Wagner
England
Rory Burns, 2. Dom Sibley, 3. Zak Crawley, 4. Joe Root*, 5. Ollie Pope, 6. Dan Lawrence, 7. James Bracey (WK), 8. Ollie Robinson, 9. Stuart Broad, 10. Jack Leach, 11. James Anderson
*captain
The Squads
These are the other options in the squads.
New Zealand:(All-Rounders) 12. Colin de Grandhomme, 13 Mitchell Santner, (Batters) 14. Will Young, 15. Devon Conway (WK), 16. Rachin Ravindra, (Fast Bowlers) 17. Matt Henry, 18. Doug Bracewell, 19. Jacob Duffy, (Spinners), 20. Ajaz Patel
*Trent Boult will be available for the World Test Championship final, but is resting for the England series.
England:(Fast Bowlers) 12. Mark Wood, 13. Olly Stone, 14. Craig Overton, (Batters) 15. Haseeb Hameed, 16. Sam Billings (WK), (Withdrawn) Ben Foakes (WK)
