New Zealand Cricket World Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown – Here is everything you need to know.
The finalists from the last two editions, can they go one step further this time around?
Let’s dive right in.
Key Takeaways from New Zealand’s World Cup 2023 ODI Squad Announcement
The average age of New Zealand’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad is 30.67. New Zealand have a slightly aged squad with 12 out of the 15 members over the age of 30. Only Rachin Ravinda (23), Glenn Phillips (26), and Mark Chapman (29) are on the younger spectrum.
The 15-member New Zealand’s World Cup squad has average ODI experience of 69 matches (1022 ODIs among 15 players).
New Zealand’s’ squad composition is as follows: 5 proper batters (Glenn Phillips & Williamson with the part-time spin as well) 5 all-rounders, and 5 proper bowling options. In total, New Zealand has 12 bowling options (2 off spin, 3 left arm spin, 1 leg break, 1 left arm pace, and 5 right arm pace) in their squad if absolutely needed.
New Zealand have 6 left-handed batting options (Latham, Conway, Chapman, Santner, Neesham, Ravindra) and three wicketkeeping options.
New Zealand Cricket World Cup Team at a Glance
Player
Role
Age
Kane Williamson
Batter/Off spin
33
Tom Latham
Batter/Wicketkeeper
31
Devon Conway
Batter/Wicketkeeper
32
Glenn Phillips
Batter/Wicketkeeper/Spinner
26
Will Young
Batter
30
Mark Chapman
Allrounder/Left Arm Spin
29
Daryl Mitchell
Allrounder/Right Arm Medium Pace
32
James Neesham
Allrounder/Right Arm Medium Pace
32
Rachin Ravindra
Allrounder/Left Arm Spin
23
Mitchell Santner
Allrounder/Left Arm Spin
31
Trent Boult
Left Arm Pace
34
Lockie Ferguson
Right Arm Pace
32
Matt Henry
Right Arm Pace
31
Ish Sodhi
Right Arm Leg Spin
30
Tim Southee
Right Arm Pace
34
New Zealand Cricket World Cup 2023 Potential XI
Devon Conway
Will Young
Kane Williamson (C)
Glenn Phillips
Tom Latham (WK/VC)
Daryl Mitchell
Mitchell Santner
Tim Southee
Matt Henry
Trent Boult
Ish Sodhi
Injury News
Tim Southee & Kane Williamson (ACL) are nursing injuries.
Kyle Jamieson has recently comeback from back injury. He is not officially a reserve but has been called up as cover in case Tim Southee does not recover in time.
Michael Bracewell is out indefinitely due to ACL injury.
Adam Milne was ruled out due to hamstring injury.
5 New Zealand Players Who Were Unlucky to Miss Out
Finn Allen, Henry Nicholls, Michael Bracewell, Adam Milne, Kyle Jamieson
Other players who have played for NZ recently but did not make the cut: Dean Foxcroft, Tom Blundell, Cole McConchie
Honorable Mention: Martin Guptill (Has been active in T20 leagues but has not played for NZ recently)
2 Surprise Picks for New Zealand’s World Cup Squad
Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman
New Zealand World Cup 2023 Squad – Complete List of Players
Who has taken the greatest number of wickets in the Cricket World Cup (ODI)? Here’s a quick preview: Glenn McGrath has taken the most ODI World Cup wickets (71). Both McGrath & Mitchell Starc have dominated World Cup bowling from every measure.
The World Cup is closer than it appears. Less than 30 days to go for the 2023 Cricket World Cup now, can you believe it?
So, let’s dive right in and find out all about the greatest World Cup wicket-takers.
ODI Cricket World Cup Wicket Takers – By the Numbers
The top 5 wicket takers in the ODI Cricket World Cup (CWC) are Glenn McGrath (71), Muttiah Muralitharan (68), Lasith Malinga (56), Wasim Akram (55), and Mitchell Starc (49).
From the Top 20 wicket-takers in the ODI CWC, nations most represented are as follows: Australia (5), New Zealand (4), Sri Lanka, Pakistan (3), South Africa, India (2), and Bangladesh (1). Surprisingly, the West Indies do not make the Top 30 in this list.
Mitchell Starc has the best average (14.81), bowling strike rate (19.12), and most occurrences of 4 wickets or more (6: 3 – 4-fers, 3 – 5-fers). On the other end of the spectrum, Shakib Al Hasan has the worst average (35.94) and strike rates (42.14).
The best figures from this group of 20 are Glenn McGrath (7/15), Tim Southee (7/33), Chaminda Vaas (6/25), Mitchell Starc (6/28), and Lasith Malinga (6/38). Note that Shane Bond also has World Cup figures of 6/23, but his overall wicket tally of 30 ranks him at #26 in this list.
Mitchell Starc (49), Trent Boult (39), Tim Southee (34), and Shakib Al Hasan (34) are the only active players still in this list who are expected to play in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The ODI Cricket World Cup: Who Has Taken the Most Number of Wickets?
Honorable Mentions: Shane Warne – 32, Chris Harris – 32, Mohammad Shami – 31, Anil Kumble – 31, Shaun Pollock – 31, Shane Bond – 30, Ian Botham – 30, Shoaib Akhtar – 30, and Shahid Afridi – 30.
Final Thoughts
Although these players have taken the greatest number of wickets in the Cricket World Cup, but more than the numbers, they have given us plenty of memories to remember them by.
Think Wahab Riaz vs Watson, Chaminda Vaas’s hat-trick, Boult vs Starc at Eden Park, Wasim Akram in the final, that Shane Bond spell, Imran Tahir’s celebrations, and much more.
I will leave you with this question for the 2023 ODI World Cup is, “Can Mitchell Starc break the World Cup record for the most wickets?”Comment below!
The top 5 wicket takers in the ODI Cricket World Cup (CWC) are Glenn McGrath (71), Muttiah Muralitharan (68), Lasith Malinga (56), Wasim Akram (55), and Mitchell Starc (49).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Most Number of Wickets in the Cricket World Cup
Who has taken the most wickets in World Cup?
Glenn McGrath (71), Muttiah Muralitharan (68), Lasith Malinga (56), Wasim Akram (55), and Mitchell Starc (49) have taken the most number of wickets in the Cricket World Cup.
How many World Cup wickets does Mitchell Starc have?
Mitchell Starc has taken 49 ODI World Cup wickets from just 18 matches. He boasts an absurd bowling average of 14.18 & strike rate of 19.12. He has taken 4-wickets thrice and 5-wickets thrice as well.
Can Mitchell Starc break the World Cup record for the most wickets?
Yes he can. If he is fit and plays in all the games on India’s pitches, then he can take 23 wickets to break Glenn McGrath’s record of 71 wickets. In case Australia reaches the final, he may have as many as 11 matches to break the World record (otherwise, he can play a maximum of 9 matches in the group stage).
The ODI World Cup 2023 schedule have finally been announced!
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is just around the corner and cricket fans all over the world are eagerly awaiting this grand event.
Scheduled to take place in India between 5 October and 19 November 2023, this will be the 13th edition of the tournament. With teams from all over the world competing for the coveted title, it promises to be an exciting tournament full of thrilling matches and nail-biting finishes. So, get ready for some serious cricket action as we bring you a complete guide to the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup Schedule!
England and New Zealand play the first match of the 2023 ODI World Cup, marking the repeat of the iconic 2019 World Cup Final.
Some of the marquee matches are as follows: October 8 (India vs Australia), October 13 (Australia vs South Africa), October 15 (India vs Pakistan), October 22 (India vs New Zealand), October 23 (Afghanistan vs Pakistan), October 29 (India vs England), October 31 (Pakistan vs Bangladesh), and November 4 (Australia vs England)
India, Pakistan, and South Africa will play all 9 of their matches as Day-Night (D/N) matches. Bangladesh will play the least with 6 D/N matches.
India & England will play in 9 separate venues, while Pakistan will only play in five different venues.
If India make the semi-finals, they will play in Mumbai. However, if it is an India vs Pakistan match, then it will be held in Kolkata.
The World Cup will run from October 5, 2023-November 19, 2023.
Fixtures & Schedule: ICC 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup
*Note: Qualifier 1 & Qualifier 2 denotes the two teams that will qualify from the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifier held in Zimbabwe. The six candidates at the moment are: Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Scotland, Netherlands, West Indies, and Oman.
India Fixtures Overview
Number of Day Night Matches: 9/9
Most Frequent Venue: None (each stadium used one for hosts India)
Shortest Gap Between Matches: 2 Days (between matches 1 & 2)
Longest Gap Between Matches: 6 Days (between matches 5 & 6)
ODI World Cup 2023 Schedule – India Team (Hosts)
vs Australia: October 8, 2023, Chennai (D/N)
vs Afghanistan: October 11, 2023, Delhi (D/N)
vs Pakistan: October 15, 2023, Ahmedabad (D/N)
vs Bangladesh: October 19, 2023, Pune (D/N)
vs New Zealand: October 22, 2023, Dharamsala (D/N)
vs England: October 29, 2023, Lucknow (D/N)
vs Qualifier 2: November 2, 2023, Mumbai (D/N)
vs South Africa: November 5, 2023, Kolkata (D/N)
vs Qualifier 1: November 11, 2023, Bengaluru (D/N)
Most Frequent Venue: Hyderabad, Chennai (twice each, back-to-back), Kolkata, Bengaluru (twice)
Shortest Gap Between Matches: 2 Days (between matches 4 & 5)
Longest Gap Between Matches: 7 Days (between matches 8 & 9)
ODI World Cup 2023 – Pakistan Team Schedule
vs Qualifier 1: October 6, 2023, Hyderabad (D/N)
vs Qualifier 2: October 12, 2023, Hyderabad (D/N)
vs India: October 15, 2023, Ahmedabad (D/N)
vs Australia: October 20, 2023, Bengaluru (D/N)
vs Afghanistan: October 23, 2023, Chennai (D/N)
vs South Africa: October 27, 2023, Chennai (D/N)
vs Bangladesh: October 31, 2023, Kolkata (D/N)
vs New Zealand: November 4, 2023, Bengaluru
vs England: November 12, 2023, Kolkata (D/N)
South Africa Fixtures Overview
Number of Day Night Matches: 9/9
Most Frequent Venue: Mumbai (twice, back-to-back)
Shortest Gap Between Matches: 2 Days (between matches 4 & 5, between matches 5 & 6)
Longest Gap Between Matches: 5 Days (between matches 1 & 2)
ODI World Cup 2023 – South Africa Team Schedule
vs Qualifier 2: October 7, 2023, Delhi (D/N)
vs Australia: October 13, 2023, Lucknow (D/N)
vs Qualifier 1: October 17, 2023, Dharamsala (D/N)
vs England: October 21, 2023, Mumbai (D/N)
vs Bangladesh: October 24, 2023, Mumbai (D/N)
vs Pakistan: October 27, 2023, Chennai (D/N)
vs New Zealand: November 1, 2023, Pune (D/N)
vs India: November 5, 2023, Kolkata (D/N)
vs Afghanistan: November 10, 2023, Ahmedabad (D/N)
Qualifier 1 Fixtures Overview
Number of Day Night Matches: 8/9
Most Frequent Venue: Hyderabad (twice, back-to-back), Lucknow
Shortest Gap Between Matches: 2 Days (between matches 1 & 2, between matches 5 & 6, between matches 8 & 9)
Longest Gap Between Matches: 7 Days (between matches 2 & 3)
ODI World Cup 2023 – Qualifier 1 Schedule
vs Pakistan: October 6, 2023, Hyderabad (D/N)
vs New Zealand: October 9, 2023, Hyderabad (D/N)
vs South Africa: October 17, 2023, Dharamsala (D/N)
vs Qualifier 2: October 21, 2023, Lucknow
vs Australia: October 25, 2023, Delhi (D/N)
vs Bangladesh: October 28, 2023, Kolkata (D/N)
vs Afghanistan: November 3, 2023, Lucknow (D/N)
vs England: November 8, 2023, Pune (D/N)
vs India: November 11, 2023, Lucknow (D/N)
Qualifier 2 Fixtures Overview
Number of Day Night Matches: 8/9
Most Frequent Venue: Lucknow (twice, back-to-back), Delhi (twice)
Shortest Gap Between Matches: 2 Days (between matches 6 & 7, between matches 8 & 9)
Longest Gap Between Matches: 4 Days (between matches 4 & 5)
ODI World Cup 2023 – Qualifier 2 Schedule
vs South Africa: October 7, 2023, Delhi (D/N)
vs Pakistan: October 12, 2023, Hyderabad (D/N)
vs Australia: October 16, 2023, Lucknow (D/N)
vs Qualifier 1: October 21, 2023, Lucknow
vs England: October 26, 2023, Bengaluru (D/N)
vs Afghanistan: October 30, 2023, Pune (D/N)
vs India: November 2, 2023, Mumbai (D/N)
vs Bangladesh: November 6, 2023, Delhi (D/N)
vs New Zealand: November 9, 2023, Bengaluru (D/N)
2023 ODI World Cup Knockout Matches
November 15, 2023, Kolkata (D/N)
November 16, 2023, Mumbai (D/N)
November 19, 2023, Ahmedabad
Final Thoughts
The ODI World Cup 2023 schedule promises to be a rollercoaster ride of emotions for cricket fans across the globe.
With the best teams battling it out on the field, we can hope that several matches are a nail-biting experience. The ODI Cricket World is more than just a sport. It is a unifying force that brings people together from all corners of the world.
Mark your calendars and get ready to witness history in the making as the world’s best cricketing nations compete for the ultimate prize- the ODI World Cup trophy!
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the India vs Pakistan match be in the 2023 ODI World Cup?
The much awaited India vs Pakistan match will take place on October 15, 2023 in Ahmedabad.
How many matches will be played in the 2023 ODI World Cup?
48 matches will be played in the 2023 ODI World Cup (45 group stage matches, 2 semi-finals, and one final).
When will the ICC 2023 ODI World Cup be played?
The 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup will be held between October 5, 2023 and November 19, 2023.
Women’s cricket has become mainstream over the last decade, especially with the breakthrough 2017 ODI World Cup and the 2020 T20 World Cup final, but how much do we really about it?
The general public can remember who won the 1979 Cricket World Cup, Kapil Dev’s 1983 catch, Wasim Akram’s 1992 swing, South Africa’s collapses, and Australia’s dominance in men’s cricket. Here we will educate ourselves about the Women’s Cricket World Cup—How many World Cups have happened, what happened in each world cup, who is the highest runs scorer, wicket taker, and much more!
By the end of this article, you will know everything from history to prepare yourself for the upcoming 2022 Cricket World cup.
Cricket’s first ODI World Cup was the 1973 Women’s Cricket World Cup, not the 1975 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Denmark played cricket? That’s right. While teams like Ireland and Netherlands made their impact in men’s world cup in the 2000s, teams like Ireland, Denmark, and Netherlands made their Women’s World Cup debut from the 1988 & 1993 world cups onwards.
In the 1973 World Cup, Jamaica & Trinidad and Tobago played as separate nations, not under West Indies.
In the 1973 & 1982 World Cup, an International XI was fielded as one of teams, comprised of players from England, New Zealand, Netherlands, Australia, India, Trinidad, and Jamaica.
Format: Round Robin (3 matches each), 6 matches total
Highest Run-Scorer: Margaret Jennings (127) – Australia
Highest Wicket Taker: Sharyn Hill (7) – Australia
Venue: New Zealand
Fun Fact:Australia won their first cricket world cup….first of their 20 world cups (5 men’s ODI, 1 T20 WC, 3 U-19 WC, 6 women’s ODI WC, 5 T20I WC)…WOW.
3. Hansells Vita Fresh 1982 Women’s Cricket World Cup
Venue: New Zealand
Winner: Australia 🥇
Runners Up: England 🥈
Teams: 5 (Australia, England, New Zealand, India, International XI)
Format: Triple Round Robin + Final (12 matches each), 31 matches total
Highest Run-Scorer: Jan Brittin (391) – England
Highest Wicket Taker: Lyn Fullston (23) – Australia (most in any women’s WC)
Fun Fact:Jackie Lord took 8-2-10-6 against India, women’s cricket best WC bowling figures to date. Electing to bat, NZ were bundled out for 80 in 58.5 overs via Diana Edulji’s 11.5-7-10-3 (60-over match). In reply, Lord helped bundle India for 37 in 35 overes.
Each team played each other THREE TIMES! Can you imagine that in today’s day and age? Also International XI makes a comeback.
Highest Run-Scorer: Debbie Hockley (456) – New Zealand (most in any women’s WC)
Highest Wicket Taker: Katrina Keenan (13) – New Zealand
Fun Fact:Belinda Clark 229* (pushing Australia to 412/7, best WC score ever till date) and Charlotte Edwards’ 173 broke ODI batting world records, Pakistan collapsed for 27/10 (lowest ever WC score), and Jhulan Goswami, on ball duty, was inspired to take up the sport as a child.The beginning of professionalization of women’s cricket (from skirts/culottes to trousers)
Teams: 8 (Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands)
Format: Round Robin + Semi-Finals + Finals, 31 matches total
Player of the Tournament:Lisa Keightley
Highest Run-Scorer: Karen Rolton (393) – Australia
Highest Wicket Taker: Charmaine Mason (17) – Australia
Fun Fact:A classic Australia Vs New Zealand final in New Zealand, who actually won their first (and only) ODI World Cup. The 2015 men’s world cup was actually just a revenge battle.
Teams: 8 (Australia, India, New Zealand, England, West indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Ireland)
Format: Round Robin + Semi-Finals + Finals, 31 matches total
Player of the Tournament: Karen Rolton (Australia) (Rolton boasts the best WC average across women’s WC – 74.92)
Highest Run-Scorer: Charlotte Edwards (280)
Highest Wicket Taker: Neetu David (20)
Fun Fact:Featured a star cast—Belinda Clark, Lisa Sthalekar, Karen Rolton, Lisa Keightley, Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Charlotte Edwards, Katherine Brunt, Isa Guha, Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra, Neetu David, Anisa Mohammed—a clash of generations.
Teams: 8 (England, Sri Lanka, West Indies, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan)
Format: 2 Groups + Super Six + Final, 25 matches total
Player of the Tournament:Suzie Bates (New Zealand)
Highest Run-Scorer: Suzie Bates (407) – New Zealand
Highest Wicket Taker: Megan Schutt (15) – Australia
Fun Fact:India & Pakistan were the two teams that failed to qualify for the Super Sixes, while West Indies qualify for the Finals for the first (and only) time.
Time for the T20 World Cup 2021 Prediction Results! We first present the categories and winners as well as the specific points. Scroll down to the bottom for our Team of the Tournament and let us know what you thought!
We had asked our Twitter followers and fellow friends to reply back with their predictions to these categories and we recorded them here at the start of the tournament.
Fast forward a few weeks, and now Australia are the T20 World Cup Champions and New Zealand are the runners up! Neither of them were even in the Top 5 choices for title contenders.
Since lot has not gone according to expectations, we expanded the opportunities to get more guesses right on the #BCDPredictions. We will accept top 3-4 for Most Runs/Most Wickets and have a few different options for the other categories.
#Winner
Australia
#Top4
Australia
New Zealand
Pakistan
England
#BestAssociates
Namibia
Scotland
#PlayeroftheWorldCup
David Warner
#MostRuns
Babar Azam (303)
David Warner (289)
Mohamad Rizwan (281)
Jos Buttler (269)
#MostWickets
Wanindu Hasaranga (16)
Adam Zampa, Trent Boult (13)
Shakib Al Hasan, Josh Hazlewood (11)
#BestCatch
Akeal Hosein
Devon Conway
Sam Billings-Jonny Bairstow
Kane Williamson
Aiden Markram
#Surprise
Australia winning/Aus & NZ in the semis
Namibia’s lovely story/ Trumpelmann/Wiese’s tournament to remember
Scotland surprise Bangladesh
Asif Ali/Shoaib Malik surprise even their own fanbase
Mark Watt, Imad Wasim, and R Ashwin’s accuracy in the middle overs
#BrokenDream
Ryan Ten Doeschate, Dwayne Bravo, & Asghar Afghan retire. Chris Gayle semi-retires
South Africa fail to go to the semis despite 4/5 wins, a win against England, and only a close loss
Pakistan, England, & NZ losing in the semi finals/finals after a brilliant tournament
Tymal Mills, Obed McCoy, Devon Conway, Jason Roy suffer freak injuries
Virat Kohli bows out T20 captaincy career with a loss
Bangladesh lose 5 out 5 in the Super 12s
The Winners
And the winners are….Wisdom with 7/12 correct! Wow! 🥇
From our twitter crowd, Short Leg Cricket emerges as victorious with 6/12. 🥈
CONGRATULATIONS!!
I myself had a decent run with 5/12, along with Chalupa.
Overall lots of 4/12 and good scores nevertheless. Good job everybody! We are improving 😊
Prediction Results
– 12 is the maximum score (Top 4 – you will get a point for each correctly identified semi-finalist)
Winner
Top 4
Best Associates
Player of the WC
Most Runs
Most Wickets
Best Catch
Surprise
Broken Dream
Me (5/12)
WI
WI England✔ Pakistan✔ India
Netherlands
Jadeja/Chase
Buttler✔
Shamsi
Fabian Allen
Namibia✔ Afghanistan
Malik/ Sarfaraz/ Gayle/ Bravo/ ✔ Morgan/ Nabi retire
Buttler✔ (may not be an Indian, cannot rule QDK too)
T20 World Cup 2021 Review – Prediction Results
Sourabh
Quote Predictions
“If India want to win India’s top three form is very crucial.” ✔
Sourabh
Unfortunately that did not happen in the first couple of games
“Yes surely looking at great spin condition in UAE. [Sodhi] is definitely going to have a good impact in this WC for NZ…” ✔
Mohd Shamir Ansari
He surely did! When Sodhi played well, NZ won. When he did not….
“Seeing how the pitches played out in most games in IPL, expect Tymal’s variations to come in handy.” ✔
Deepak Kumar Panda
Tymal Mills was a revelation. Unfortunately he suffered another injury
“The problem with NZ might be the UAE conditions. Guptill couldn’t bat UAE conditions in the second leg of PSL.” ❌
Asad Ali
Guptill’s final apart, he was decent including a 93 in tough conditions.
“Namibia or PNG may qualify for the main draw. Afghanistan may eliminate one of the Asian teams and reach semis. It can be an #IndvNZ final.” ❌
The Falling Sweep
Namibia did qualify for the main draw, but PNG, Afghanistan, and India were below par.
“With Faf, Morris, & Tahir not in team, it is a huge task for SA.” ❌
Bhagyesh Joshi
Interestingly enough, South Africa were one of the most improved teams of the tournament.
“India are the perpetual bottle jobs.”
Matt Gray
Yep that happened again…although in the Group Stage itself.
BCD’s 2021 T20 World Cup Team of The Tournament
Based on all the final tournament statistics and how the World Cup progressed, here is my team of the tournament. Note, players will only be considered for the positions they actually played in unless they played as a floater. For example, Mitchell Marsh & Charith Asalanka will only be considered for the #3 position.
T20 World Cup Team of the Tournament
Jos Buttler (WK)
Babar Azam (C)
Charith Asalanka
Aiden Markram
Moeen Ali
Najibullah Zadran/David Wiese
Wanindu Hasaranga
Anrich Nortje
Adam Zampa
Josh Hazlewood
Trent Boult
Honorable Mentions: David Warner (needed a captain so Babar was preferred), Mohammad Rizwan, Daryl Mitchell, Haris Rauf, Tymal Mills, Bhanuka Rajapaksa
1 left arm pacer, 2 right arm fast medium, 2 leg spinners, 1 off-spinner, and a Markram (+Wiese if chosen at 6). Not a bad all-round attack. What do you think? Comment Your XI Below?
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2021 T20 World Cup Team Review Time. Here is the complete dissection of every team. The best moments, analysis, stats, and what changes need to be made for each team to succeed in the upcoming 2022 T20 World Cup. Comment below on your favorite moment of this T20 World Cup and what you think about their prospects in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Australia—a name so synonymous to Cricket World Cups it is not even a surprise they somehow managed to win this one. Unlike most times, though, they were not even in Top 5 Favorites this time around. Even Bangladesh & Afghanistan were fancied more since Australia has lost their last 4 T20I bilateral series and were hammered 4-1 in Bangladesh.
Lots of good stories for Justin Langer’s group. A group of lovely characters, marked by Stoinis, Zampa, Wade, Maxwell combined with their star power in Warner-Smith-Cummins-Hazlewood-Starc deliver unlikely victory. Hazlewood’s accuracy, Zampa’s wicket-taking abilities, Warner’s consistency, Mitchell Marsh’s coming of age, Steve Smith’s boundary catching, and Stoinis-Wade’s finishing combined to make this a dangerous T20 side.
Now Australia has won everything—Women’s ODI & T20I World Cups, U-19 World Cups, Men’s ODI & T20 World Cups & Champions Trophy. Looks like life is all good for Australia and free of Paine…
Mitchell Marsh’s Dream Final, Matthew Wade-Marcus Stoinis Partnership, Cummins at the Death
Luck Factor (Or the Lack of)
Aaron Finch Wins All the Tosses
Broken Dreams
Starc 4-0-60-0 in the Final. Does he merit a place in the 2022 T20 World Cup Squad?
What Does Australia Need to Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Home World Cup, expectations on them. No team has won two consecutive T20 World Cups or a T20 World Cup at home. Now, they have a good T20 core group from which they can challenge the rest of the world. The real question here is—Can Australia continue playing the same brand of cricket?
2. New Zealand 2021 T20 World Cup
New Zealand are the best all-format team to beat at the moment, aren’t they? 2 ODI World Cup finals in a row (2015, 2019), current World Test Championship holders, and now the runners up in a T20 World Cup. Just like Australia, not many expected them to get to semi-finals, let alone the finals. With an early loss to Pakistan, things did start positively for them. Credit to them, they strangled India, survived threat against Namibia, and continued on their marching way before the Neesham-Mitchell assault shocked England.
Positives? Mitchell’s inspirational promotion & Top 3’s solo performances (Mitchell’s 72*, Williamson’s 85, & Guptill’s 93, Southee’s economical World Cup, shining Boult & Sodhi (if we take out Sodhi’s final), roaring Milne in his comeback, and Neesham, who finally gets his revenge.
Negatives? Conway-Phillips-Seifert had been one of the reasons for NZ’s success in T20I’s over the past year, but none of them had a stellar performance. Conway played a crucial recovery innings in the semi-finals, Phillips (once a keeper) bowled some tight off spin and hit Zampa for a six in the final, but other than that, nothing much of note. Also Guptill’s 27 (35).…say no more.
Kane Williamson (216) Martin Guptill (208) Daryl Mitchell (208)
Highest Wicket Takers
Trent Boult (13)
X Factors
Daryl Mitchell – the Opener, Neesham – the Finisher, Fielding Unit, Southee Reinvents Himself
Broken Dreams
Lockie Ferguson ruled out before the WC; Devon Conway injures himself by punching his bat after his semi-final dismissals; Misses the Final; New Zealand struggle early on and ends up on the runners up podium again.
What Does New Zealand Need to Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
New Zealand made it to the final on the back of good strategy and smart cricket. However, it is unlikely that this squad will succeed again in 2022 in Australian conditions. Do all three of Ish Sodhi-Todd Astle-Mitchell Santner fit in the 15? Does Martin Guptill continue or will Finn Allen be given a chance? Can both Adam Milne & Lockie Ferguson make the XI? Where does Tim Seifert fit in the equation? So many questions, less than 335 days, as Jimmy Neesham puts it.
3. Pakistan 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Will Pakistan get a better chance? World Cup in the UAE, Babar Azam & Mohammad Rizwan in the form of their lives, bowling good as usual, fielding better than ever, Asif Ali finally coming into his own, and the 40 year youngsters Hafeez and Malik matching everybody else.
5 group matches, 5 different player of the match awards. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Asif Ali, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shoaib Malik. And the most runs of the tournament by their captain Babar Azam?
How did they get here? By completely dominating the match against India (via Shaheen’s opening spell including that ball to KL Rahul), completed a low scorer against NZ, crushed Afghanistan with Asif Ali’s 4 sixes, and brushed Scotland & Namibia by batting first.
Pakistan, who have been disappointed by NZ and England cricket boards, were writing a lovely beautiful story. However, just as in the 2010 T20 WC semi final against Australia, the story went off track. A left handed middle order batter finished it off with consecutive sixes against Pakistan’s best bowler. It was Mike Hussey Vs Saeed Ajmal 11 years ago. It was Matthew Wade Vs Shaheen Shah Afridi this year.
Shadab Khan (9) Haris Rauf (8) Shaheen Shah Afridi (7)
X Factors
Haris Rauf’s death bowling, Shaheen Shah Afridi in the Powerplay, Imad Wasim-Shadab Khan’s miserly spells, Babar-Rizwan partnerhship, Malik-Asif Finishing
Broken Dreams
Hasan Ali’s Form Lose a Close Semi-Final After Winning 5/5 Group Matches and dominating 35 overs of the semi=final
What Does Pakistan Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Although Pakistan were possibly the best team throughout this year, they will have to make several changes next year due to conditions. A 150-160 score may not be defendable, the bowling combinations might need to be tweaked, and some young aggresive batters like Haider Ali will need to be placed in the XI.
4. England 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
I have two points of view on this England campaign. One can say that just like Pakistan, it was an underwhelming campaign since they dominated the group stages and failed to finish the semi-final like the Carlos Brathwaite final 5 years ago.
On the other hand, England were already missing Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Sam Curran. During the tournament, they lost Tymal Mills, their best death bowler, and Jason Roy. The fact that they still dominated the tournament shows the marvelous depth in English cricket right now.
The positives? Moeen Ali’s all round package, Chris Woakes’ opening spells, Tymal Mills’ international comeback, Adil Rashid’s magic, Livingstone’s off-spin/leg-spin, and Jos Buttler’s century.
Adil Rashid (9) Moeen Ali, Tymal Mills, Chris Woakes (7) Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan (6)
X Factors
Tymal Mills’ death bowling, Moeen Ali’s all-round show; The Beast that is Buttler
Broken Dreams
Favorites fail to lift the T20 World Cup again; Tymal Mills & Jason Roy out injured mid-tournament; Morgan-Livingstone underwhelm with the bat
What Does England Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Given Eoin Morgan’s batting form, he is almost nearing the end of his England journey although his captaincy was still top notch. Ashes is around the corner, and it is too soon to predict squads since injuries/retirements/mental health breaks are around the corner due to their grueling schedule. Malan & Moeen might stay, but Morgan might not make the XI if Stokes is back. If England can find depth & consistency in their death bowling (need to look past Jordan & Tom Curran), then this golden generation might have lift the T20 World Cup trophy.
5. South Africa 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
One of the two teams that would go back with positives. Despite the Quinton de Kock Controversy early on, South Africa held themselves up nicely under captain Temba Bavuma.
Anrich Nortje was devastating throughout the tournament, even a sub-par Kagiso Rabada got a hat-trick, Killer Miller came back to win a thriller against Sri Lanka, Rassie Van der Dussen-Aiden Markram made huge strides, and spinners Markram-Maharaj tied down the opposition. The peak of their journey was the final match where they defeated tournament favorites England, and dented their confidence going to the semi-finals.
The only two blips? The narrow loss against Australia in the opening game of the Super 12s and the slow chase against Bangladesh meant they finished they barely failed to qualify due to net run rate.
I had anticipated South Africa would miss ABD, Faf, Tahir, and Morris but evidently they made it work.
Nortje-Shamsi brilliant with the ball, Markram-van der Dussen brilliant with the bat, The Return of Killer Miller, and Temba Bavuma’s captaincy
Broken Dreams
Quinton de Kock & Cricket South Africa’s miscommunication and mini-scandal Failing to Qualify for the Semi-Finals on NRR again
What Does South Africa Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
South Africa need more stability in their middle order. The bowlers can defend middling scores in all conditions, but inconsistency in batting and lack of death is holding them back. They have a good core, if they do not get the Group of Death again, they will definitely be semi-finalist contenders.
6. Sri Lanka 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
The most improved and watchable team of the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka was the only team in the first week to look a class apart. In the Super 12s, they began positively with an improbable chase against Bangladesh and pushed England to the edge. However, they never really recovered from their last over loss against South Africa.
Asalanka & Rajapaska were the pick of the batters, opposition had no clue for their mystery spin, and Lahiru Kumara’s aggressive attitude and speed took opposition by surprise.Wanindu Hasaranga is having a dream year, and he was one of the standouts of this World Cups, both with the bat and the ball.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s All-Round Show, Lahiru Kumara’s aggression, Nissanka-Asalanka-Rajapaksa form core for the future
Broken Dreams
Lose Steam Towards The End After Winning 5 Overall
What Does Sri Lanka Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
From 2015, Sri Lanka had been in grave transition. They finally found a group of players they can persist with in the near future.Hasaranga, Asalanka, & Rajapaksa defined this team with their positive brand of cricket. Finally opener Pathum Nissanka and mystery spinner Theekshana are really good prospects for Sri Lanka. If the seniors—Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, captain Dasun Shanaka, (maybe Chandimal & Matthews as well?) and the pacers Chameera-Kumara can come together, they might be the dark horse for the next World Cup.
Unfortunately just failed the direct qualification to the Super 12s, so have to go through the double qualification once again.
7. India 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
A tough tournament for Indian fans.
A dismal loss against Pakistan, a week long break, no intent against their WC arch-nemesis, New Zealand, and three spirited efforts against Afghanistan, Scotland, and Namibia to boost their net run rate. However, NZ’s victory against Afghanistan ensured India was never really in the tournament apart from outside mathematical calculations. It was the vulnerability against left arm seamers and good fast bowling once again that left India on the backfoot against Pakistan & NZ respectively.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s control in the middle overs and the intent shown by KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma at the end were some positives for India.
Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja (7) Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami (6)
X Factors
R Ashwin’s economical middle overs; Rahul-Sharma opening partnership (when they played with freedom)
Broken Dreams
India loses against arch-nemesis NZ; First WC Loss to Pakistan; Favorites crash out without a fight; Shami suffers social media abuse; Kohli’ bows out captaincy career without a title
What Does India Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Revamp their whole squad might be a rash decision, but something out of the ordinary is needed. Although some bold decisions were taken for this tournament, more game time is needed for a new-look T20I team. KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma should stay opening partners, Suryakumar, Pant, Bumrah, & Jadeja should remain in the fray, but the rest is up in the air, especially for Australian conditions.
Does Kohli fit in or do India do what England did to Root? Ashwin has been good, but Chahal definitely merits a place back. What about the Hardik Pandya problem? Can India find batters that in the top 4 that can bowl? India have the players, but maybe it is a curse rather than a blessing in ICC tournaments for this immense depth.
8. Afghanistan 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Afghanistan did not have the worst of tournaments and were in contention till the very last day of the Super 12s, but there is a feeling that they could have done better.
In these conditions, Rashid-Mujeeb-Nabi were devastating individually but could not all fire together. The openers gave them spark, but not consistently. Najibullah Zadran was in his peak for, Hamid Hassan was back, and captain Mohammad Nabi batted with responsibility. Muscular Gulbadin Naib had a decent outing, and so did Naveen-ul-Haq. The only team to bat first with confidence and defend scores, their change of strategies in the crunch game against India did not work out for them.
Post the Pakistan game, it all just fell apart. 4 sixes in a row prompted freak retirement announcement by senior batter Asghar Afghan in the middle of the tournament. They could not manage to upset India or NZ, which is all that was needed.
Mystery Spinners; Nabi-Najibullah late order hitting; Zazai-Shahzad provide some good starts
Broken Dreams
Did not upset any of the big 3 in the group—NZ, Pakistan, & India Tough close loss against Pakistan and subsequent retirement of Asghar Afghan in the middle of the tournament derailed their campaign
What Does Afghanistan Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
First they need to ensure no administrative turmoil. For the last two World Cups now, they have had captaincy changes right before the tournament. Afghanistan might be upbeat for next year since many of their players have BBL experience in Australia. All they need ais a couple of fast bowlers and Qais Ahmed back, and this team can outdo any other on a given day.
9. Namibia 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
The story of the tournament by far.
First time qualifying for a cricket world cup since 2003 and guess what? Not only winning one game but THREE GAMES! Defeated the European trio of Ireland (full member), Netherlands, and Scotland and got a direct entry to the 2022 T20 World Cup.
The middle order, led by David Wiese, was their saving grace but their disciplined bowling, led by Trumpelmann & Wiese, kept them in the game, even against the likes of Pakistan and New Zealand. Trumpelmann’s 3-wicket opening over & JJ Smit’s finishing heroics over Scotland was the highlight of their tournament. Kudos to captain Erasmus for playing the tournament with a broken finger.
Jan Frylinck (9) David Wiese (6) Ruben Trumpelmann (6)
X Factors
Lower Middle Order Trumpelmann’s Opening Spells
Broken Dreams
None Really. Except for their opening game against Sri Lanka, they competed well throughout the tournament even against Full Members
What Does Namibia’s Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
If Namibia need to improve and go one step further, they need to add a bit of spice to their bowling attack. For their first 10 overs, they are good but need to keep opposition down at the death.Can they make it to the Super 12s again?
10. Scotland 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Scotland experienced high highs and suffered low lows.
From 53-6 in their opening game against Bangladesh, a Chris Greaves inspired victory gave them victory over Bangladesh. They dominated the early groups with 3 wins in 3 matches. They nosedived with a 130-run loss against Afghanistan’s spin in the first match of the Super 12s and never recovered. Their only hope was against Namibia which they made a game out of, but still lost.
The bowlers came to the party, especially Mark Watt (1/19, 1/23, 1/23, 1/23, 1/22, 1/13, 1/20, 0/41) but their famed batters let them down.
Richie Berrington (177) George Munsey (152) Matthew Cross (135) Michael Leask (130)
Highest Wicket Takers
Josh Davey (9) Safyaan Sharif, Brad Wheal (8) Mark Watt (7) Chris Greaves (6)
X Factors
Watt’s Economical (6.13) Consistency, Berrington’s Fifties, Fast Bowlers Accurate, Leask’s Power Hitting, The Rise of Chris Greaves, Matt Cross’s Commetnary Behind the Stumps
Broken Dreams
Kyle Coetzer & Heralded Top Order Suffer Collective Failure
What Does Scotland Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Are Scotland’s golden era ageing or was it just the conditions? The good thing is they have qualified for the 2022 T20 World Cup by the virtue of qualifying for the Super 12s. They need batting depth and power hitters to complement their bowlers. Should still make it past the early group into the Super 12s next year.
11. West Indies 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Well the Last Dance was not meant to be. Only one win overall, and that too by 3 runs.
Not only did West Indies not qualify for the semi-finals, they had a horrible time. Bundled out for 55 against England, they never really figured out what their approach will be. Go all guns blazing like Lewis tried or hang in there like Lendl Simmons? Gayle-Pollard-Russell were almost no shows, and Jason Holder as replacement (who should have been in the squad in the first place) was the only spark.
Akeal Hosein was the find for West Indies, filling Fabian Allen’s left arm spin shoe perfectly as were Pooran-Hetmyer briefly. It was good to see Bravo & Gayle having fun in what may be their last T20I.
55 All Out Obed McCoy Injury Lendl Simmons’ Slow Show Dwayne Bravo Retires Chris Gayle (almost) retires Horror show for T20 stars Gayle, Pollard, Russell Hat-trick Dream Unfulfilled
What Does West Indies Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
A completely rejig of the squad is needed. Hetmyer, Pooran, Lewis, Holder, Fabian Allen, Akeal Hosein, and even Kieron Pollard might stay but it is the end of the road for Gayle, Bravo, Russell? and Rampaul. It would be interesting to see if Roston Chase stays and if ‘rotating the strike’ will come into their T20 philosophy. West Indies of the 2010s changed T20 cricket with their boundary hitting but they need to move on with the times.
12. Bangladesh 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Where do I even start?
I was a fan of the rising Bangladesh ODI team and had them as a semi-finalist possibility, but this team was a complete no-show. Expected to do well in spinning UAE conditions and after dominating Australia & New Zealand at home in dust bowls, this was a huge let down.
For the first time in recent WCs, the seniors did not stand up (Shakib in the first few games apart) which exposed the gaps in the rest of the team. The likes of Liton Das, Soumy Sarkar, and Afif Hossain have not really become consistent cricketers that Bangladesh needed.
The worst part was the last couple of games. Losing a WC happens, but giving up without a fight was truly disappointing as they were skittled for 73 and 84 respectively against Australia & South Africa.
Taskin Ahmed’s comeback spirit and Mahedi Hasan were the only positive.
Shakib Al Hasan (11) Mahedi Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman (8)
X Factors
Taskin Ahmed’s Energy Mahedi Hasan Shakib Al Hasan in the early stages
Broken Dreams
Mahmudullah’s captaincy decisions Mushfiqur Rahim’s lack of form Liton Das’s Horror Show Youngsters Fail To Rise to the Occasion Mustafizur Expensive Shakib Al Hasan’s Injury
What Does Bangladesh Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
The next generation of Bangladesh cricket need to come in. Already the likes of Saif Hasasn, Najmul Hossain Shanto, leg spinner Aminul Islam, U-19 winning captain Akbar Ali among others have been selected for the Pakistan T20I series while Mushfiqur Rahim is dropped. I expect the Fab 4 to be in the squad in Australia, but maybe not a regular XI spot. This is the step in the right direction, but one year is too less for a T20I team to develop. It may take a few years to bounce back.
13. Oman 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Oman will have mixed feelings from this World Cup.
First of all, they were wonderful hosts and made sure the tournament started off the right foot (beautiful background as well). After winning the first game against PNG comfortably, they would have felt they are almost into the Super 12s, but they let the tense game against Bangladesh slip.
Bilal Khan, Zeeshan Mazsood (5) Kaleemullah, Fayyab Butt (4)
X Factors
Jatinder Singh-Aqib Ilyas Opening Partnership
Broken Dreams
Had a foot in the door early on, but could not maintain momentum; This was a good chance to qualify to the next round since all matches were at home
What Does Oman Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
They need to go back and qualify for the 2022 T20 World Cup. They need to make sure their middle order batters can endure pressure moments. Qualification cycles can be difficult, so we do not know if we will see them again. With Zimbabwe back in the qualifiers, it will just be harder.
14. Ireland 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
All was well and good with the world when Curtis Campher took 4 wickets in 4 balls and Ireland hammered the Netherlands. However, Sri Lanka’s big defeat rocked their NRR and a rising Namibia overthrew them as the ‘Associate giant.’
It was just destiny. Ireland upset the big teams 15 years ago to gain respect for the Associate nations, and now when they are a Full Member, a stronger set of Associate nations are beginning to upset them.
Josh Little the only positive for them apart from Campher.
Curtis Campher, The Double Hat-trick Man (or 4-in-4?)
Broken Dreams
Full Member Ireland seem to be regressing in T20Is despite strides in ODI cricket
What Does Ireland Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
Ireland’s golden generation has ended, and it will take a while for the young guns to pick up but T20 cricket is just not suited to their styles.Probably the end of the road for Kevin O’Brien. Honestly, I do not see Ireland see improving much unless T20 franchise leagues start acquring talent like Paul Stirling and Josh Little.
15. Papua New Guinea 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Papua New Guinea brought the world to the Cricket World Cup. Although they did not win any games, their family-like spirit took the fans by delight.
The partnership between Assad Vala and Charles Amini against Oman displayed that these bunch of players possess a lot of talent if they are given the environment to flourish. Some good hitting at the end by Doriga as well against Scotland to keep the game interesting.
Charles Amini-Assad Vala show the flair in their side Brilliant diving catches and disciplined fielding throughout
Broken Dreams
Go Home With No Wins
What Does Papua New Guinea Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
They have to go through qualification again. The next World Cup is near their home in Oceania, but is their World Cup qualification dream too far?
16. Netherlands 2021 T20 World Cup Team Review
Netherlands were a rising team over the last couple of years, but questionable selections and lack of preparation due to COVID-19 meant they could not carry their form in the tournament.
106/10, 44/10 and losing to Namibia after scoring 164/4. Not much of note apart from Max O’Dowd’s form. They came in with good form and called upon RTD & RVDM, but performances did not add up.
Netherlands’ World Cup In A Nutshell
Result
4th in Group A
Wins/Losses
0/3
Best Match
None
Highest Run Scorers
Max O’Dowd (123)
Highest Wicket Takers
Pieter Seelar, Fred Klaassen, Brandon Glover (2)
X Factors
Max O’Dowd continues his good form
Broken Dreams
The great Ryan Ten Doeschate retires without a proper sendoff (does not get selected for the last match)
What Does Netherlands Need To Do For the 2022 T20 World Cup?
They just need to play more between World Cups. They have a South Africa tour coming up. Hopefully they can gain good experience and build confidence. Will need to qualify again however.
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Australia Vs New Zealand, The Grand Finale Quick Review – Mitchell Marsh etches his name in history with a memorable knock as the Kiwis find the runners up podium once again.
Toss: Australia won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Dubai International Stadium, Dubai, UAE
Umpires: Marais Erasmus & Richard Kettleborough
What Actually Happened – Pakistan Vs Australia
Winner:Australia won by 8 wickets
Scores: New Zealand172/4 Australia 173/2
Player of the Match:Mitchell Marsh 77* (50)
Best Figures
Josh Hazlewood (4-0-16-3), Adam Zampa (4-0-26-1)
Trent Boult (4-0-18-2)
Most Runs
Kane Williamson 85 (48)
Mitchell Marsh 77* (50), David Warner 53 (38)
Player of the Tournament: David Warner
Moments of The Day: Williamson Plays World Cup Final Knock of the Ages; Marsh-Warner Combination One Step Better
New Zealand
New Zealand had two strong performers—Kane Williamson with the bat and Trent Boult with the ball.
NZ began brightly with Daryl Mitchell’s positive approach against Maxwell, however things quietened down after his wicket. Test match bowling lengths by Hazlewood & Cummins strangled the experienced duo of Guptill & Williamson.
From 27-1 in 3.1 overs, NZ could only get to 32/1 by the end of the Powerplay, 40 by the end of 8 overs, and 57 at the end of the 10th. At the halfway stage, Williamson 18 (19) & Guptill 27 (33). Then came Starc’s over. Dropped by Hazlewood, & 4-4-4 including a waist height no-ball. 19-run over, NZ back in the game, and Williamson would hit 67 runs in his last 29 balls. Shots & sixes all around the ground. One of the best World Cup innings you will ever see.
The bowling figures of the Kiwi bowlers were sub-par. The economies were—11.21, 13.33, 15.00, 7.66, & 7.50. Sodhi & Neesham went for 55 runs in their 4 together. Only one bowler gave New Zealand hope, Trent Boult. 4-0-18-2. 4.50 economy. Boult’s wicket of Warner almost sparked New Zealand alive, and the tough dropped catch off his own bowling in his final over was the final hope.
Australia
Australia’s victorious campaigns had three consistent cogs—Hazlewood, Zampa, & Warner—around which the matchwinners Stoinis, Maxwell, and Wade rotated. Today, the consistent 3 came to the party once again.
When Kane Willamson was going haywire, Hazelwood, Zampa, & Cummins combined for figures of 12-0-69-4. The other three went for about a 100 runs in 8 overs. After Starc’s 22-run 16th over, NZ were in pole position with 136/2 in 16 overs. Good death bowling and slower deliveries ensured NZ only get 36 from the late 4 with wickets in hand.
The moment where the game turned was after Finch’s dismissal. Australia 15/1 in 2.3 overs. What does Mitch Marsh do first ball in a pressure final? Hits it for six! He did not look back after that. Australia did not look back after that. 92 (59) partnership between Warner & Marsh and a 66* (39) partnership between Marsh & Maxwell ensured World Cup victory. Finally, a classic reverse hit from Maxwell against Southee to seal the deal.
Nobody hates you anymore, Mitch Marsh 😊👏
Chuffed for Mitchell Marsh.
Remember this from the 2019 Ashes when @beastieboy07 asked him about how he's viewed back in Australia: "Yeah, most of Australia hate me." Probably not anymore, Mitch #T20WorldCuppic.twitter.com/REJJlI7PUL
It was only fitting that Shane Watson, player of the 2012 T20 World Cup, and Australia’s first T20I star was present in the commentary box.
He was the first Australian IPL star who made it big in the international arena and represented Australia for all the six World Cups until 2016. Although he did not win a T20 World Cup, it was only fitting that Watson was there for the moment that Maxwell hit the winning runs.
What a refreshing commentary debut he has had on the World Cup stage as well. Loved his analysis and you could see that this man loves every aspect of the game of cricket.
The winning moment 🇦🇺🏆 Simon Doull and Shane Watson in the com box 🎙️
The best part of the ending of a World Cup is the celebration. Here are some of the few videos that have come out on social media. Lovely stuff, watch out for Stoinis.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: New Zealand Ends Up Second Best…Again
Broken Dream #1 – End of an Era?
Mitchell Starc was the player of the 2015 ODI World Cup. Martin Guptill hit a memorable 237 and was one of the centers of NZ’s inspirational campaign in 2015.
In this World Cup, although Starc chipped in with a couple of wickets in most of the games & Guptill starred with a 93 in the UAE heat, today was a match losing performance by both oif these legendary players.
Guptill’s 27 (35) at a SR of 80.00 drained the energy out of the Kiwi batting and Starc’s 4-0-60-0 almost took the game away from Australia. Starc is approaching 32, and as a fast bowler, might focus on elongating his Test career, while Guptill is 35. It might be time for him to focus on ODI cricket and make way at the top in T20Is for someone like Tim Seifert.
Broken Dream #2 – Have New Zealand Underachieved?
The New Zealand cricket team has always been characterized as a “collective unit,” a team that “punches above their weight.” From 1975-2011, this was probably true.
6 ODI World Cup Semi Finals (1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007, 2011)
3 ICC Champions/Knockouts Trophy Semi Finals (Semifinalists in 2006, Runners up in 2009, Winner in 2000)
1 T20 World Cup Semi Finals (2007)
Since the 2015 ODI World Cup, New Zealand has been one of the teams to beat. Their recent records stand as follows:
2 ODI World Cup Finals (2015, 2019 – barely lost)
2 T20 World Cup Semi Finals (Semifinalists in 2016, Runners Up in 2021)
1 World Test Championship Winners (2021)
New Zealand are the WTC champions, but the fact they did not lift any of the last 4 limited overs trophy means they have underachieved, not overachieved.
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: New Zealand won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena & Marais Erasmus
What Actually Happened – New Zealand Vs England
Winner:New Zealand won by 5 wickets
Scores: England 166/4New Zealand167/5
Player of the Match:Daryl Mitchell 72* (47)
Best Figures
Tim Southee (4-0-24-1)
Liam Livingstone (4-0-22-2)
Most Runs
Moeen Ali 51* (37)
Daryl Mitchell 72* (47)
Moments of The Day: Neesham Has His Day as England Shocked
Moeen Ali & Dawid Malan, two batters of completely distinct styles of play with #3 as their preferred positions worked together to recover England after a slow start. From 53/2 in 8.1 overs, they took it to a solid 116 in the next 7 overs. Great ball striking from both, especially Moeen at the end to shift the momentum England’s way.
We have talked a lot about Devon Conway on this channel since his NZ debut, but he had not lit the tournament a light. Today was his day. When he came in, Chris Woakes had taken the two stars out—Guptill & Williamson. Although Conway was not the man of the moment, his strikes flipped the narrative on which Neesham and Mitchell could capitalize. Took them from 13/2 in 2.4 overs to 95/3 in 13.4.
Daryl Mitchell was not supposed to be New Zealand’s premier all rounder, but was picked over the dangerous Colin de Grandhomme. Mitchell was not supposed to be NZ’s opener. That should have been a toss up between Munro & Seifert. He was not supposed to be hitting the shot that would help NZ meet Australia in the final. Grant Elliot did that already in 2015. However, he did all three with the presence of his parents in the crowd. Dream moment.
Never lose hope even if you are struggling at the beginning. He struggled to get into the NZ side for years due to their all rounder depth. Today he could not hit anything and was going at a snail’s pace 28* (28). Neesham came, Neesham conquered, Mitchell started, stayed, and finished. 44 runs in the last 19 deliveries including a 6,6,4 to end the game with an over to spare.
Drama of the Day
A New Zealand-England knockout game was bound to have drama. The wounds (or happiness) runs deep from that day in July of 2019.
Bairstow, Livingstone, & The Catch – 2 years ago, Trent Boult, one of modern Cricket’s best boundary riders, stepped onto the boundary while completing a relay catch with Guptill. Stokes 6, Neesham bowling, NZ’s hopes crumble. Today it was Neesham batting. Similar ball, Neesham swings it to a similar part of the ground, and Bairstow-Livingstone complete a relay catch. Except Bairstow had touched the rope. History repeats itself, doesn’t it mate?
Bairstow, Livingstone, & The Non-Catch – The VERY NEXT ball, Neesham hits it again and mistakes it. The catch is their for the taking….and Livingstone freezes. He did not go for the catch, Neesham survived, and eventually New Zealand wins.
Jimmy Neesham did not make the 2015 CWC in NZ because Corey Anderson & Grant Elliot were selected. He contemplated early retirement in the years he was not picked. He came back, almost got NZ across the line with a Super Over Six in 2019, but was heartbroken. I am glad he is finally back – 2 sixes in the 17th over then another one an over later. Needing 57 in 4 overs, Neesham changed it to . The game changer of this semi finals.
He is not done though. He did not celebrate when the team won nor did he leave when the team left. Just reflecting on his mayhem and froze for a while.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Devon Conway’s Broken Hand
Conway was playing so well. However when he got out on 46, stumped to part-timer Liam Livingstone he was disappointed in himself. He reacted by hitting the bat.
Now it is known he broke his hand due to that. Ruled out of the T20 World Cup Final and the India series that follows right after.
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Babar Azam – 303 runs (Pakistan, 6 Matches), David Warner – 236 runs (Australia, 6 matches)
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena & Langton Rusere
What Actually Happened
Winner: New Zealand won by 8 wickets
Scores: Afghanistan 124/8 New Zealand125/2
Player of the Match:Trent Boult 3/17
Best Figures
Trent Boult (4-0-17-3)
Rashid Khan (4-0-27-1)
Most Runs
Najibullah Zadran 73 (48)
Kane Williamson 40* (42)
Moments of The Day: Fielders, Bowlers, Williamson-Conway Brush Aside Afghanistan
Fast bowlers all chipped in to break Afghanistan’s hopes. Impressive Milne nicked out Shahzad, Boult got Zazai, and Southee dismissed Gurbaz. Afghanistan 19/3 in 5.1 overs and never recovered.
Najibullah Zadran was the lone star for Afghanistan. Scoring his best T20I score of 73 out of Afghanistan’s 125 shows you the impact he had. Such a clean striker of he ball. He now averages 33.29 at a SR of 141.28 in T20Is.
Afghanistan missed a trick by waiting to bring Rashid Khan till after the Powerplay, but he delivered. Runs dried up with NZ at 63/2 in 11 overs, still needing 62 in the remaining 9. With Williamson steady, Devon Conway finally played an innings of note. Reverse sweeps and sweeps eased the pressure as NZ won with 11 balls to spare.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Afghanistan, India Crash Out
Broken Dream #1 is the obvious one – Afghanistan was expected to defeat one of the three big guns – Pakistan, India, or NZ.
Till Afghanistan reached Asif Ali, everything was well & good. 130 run victory against Scotland, brushing aside Namibia, NRR touching the roof. Post Asif Ali’s assault, Afghanistan’s body language dropped, Asghar Afghan retired midway, & Afghanistan did not give a fight to India or NZ. Semi-finals in friendly conditions was within reach, and they let it slip.
Broken Dream #2 – Indian fans tuned into this match for an Afghanistan upset. Not only did Afghanistan lose, they took out India with them. A dead rubber scheduled for tomorrow.
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Toss: Namibia won the toss and chose to field first.
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah, UAE
Umpires: Paul Reiffel & Paul Wilson
What Actually Happened
Winner: New Zealand won by 52 runs
Scores: New Zealand163/4Scotland 111/7
Player of the Match:Jimmy Neesham 35* (23) & 1-0-6-1
Best Figures
Bernard Schotlz (3-0-15-1)
Tim Southee (4-0-15-2)
Most Runs
Glenn Phillips 39* (21)
Michael Van Lingen 25 (25)
Moments of The Day: Phillips, Neesham Solidify NZ’s Case
NZ’s openers started well with a 30 run partnership in 4 overs before Guptill was caught out. In general, every batter in the NZ side contributed but at a slow SR.
It was Glenn Phillips (SR 185.71) & Jimmy Neesham (152.17) with a 76* (36) partnership that made sure NZ finished strongly.
Tim Southee is not the first bowler you think of for T20s. However, he manages to take wickets somehow (only one of few bowlers with 100+ Tests, ODI, & T20I wickets). A 4-0-15-2 set the tone with a slow powerplay and Namibia could not recover the finishing margin.
Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Namibia Lose the Plot Again
Just like their last game Pakistan Vs Namibia, Namibia had strangled their opposition for most of the innings. At the end of the 16th, NZ were going at a snail’s pace with only 96/4 runs on the board. Last 4 overs yielded 67 runs.
In comparison, Namibia were 92/4 at the end of the 16th. They only added 19 runs in the last 4. The finishing between the teams was the difference.
T20 World Cup Points Table, Most Runs, Wickets, Catches, Dismissals
No need to go elsewhere for thePoints Table, Highest Run Scorer, Highest Wicket Taker, Most Catches, and Most Dismissals. We will keep updating it in every article!
Image Courtesy: Graphic (original work), Kyle Coetzer – Photo by Francois Nel-ICC/ICC via Getty Images, Mahmudullah – Photo by Mike Hewitt-ICC/ICC via Getty Images