The Cricket World Cup Semi-Finals are upon us. A long group stage has provided cricket fans with some enduring performances often from unexpected individuals.

Through a bumper five weeks of World Cup action cricket heroes have been made and reputations tarnished. But after the group stages who is in the red and who in the black? Find out below.

Three of the best

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

[caption id=”attachment_113061″ align=”alignnone” width=”1016″] Babar hit a stunning unbeaten hundred to see Pakistan over the line against New Zealand[/caption]

474 runs @67.71, 1 century

In a tournament where a pantheon of stroke-makers have ruled the roost, Babar has been the jewel in the crown. Slow pitches at the World Cup have rewarded timing over brawn and the 24-year-old’s artistry has allowed him to thrive where his slapdash peers have faltered. The No.3 now has the most runs in a single World Cup by a Pakistani and his majestic 101* in the chase against New Zealand at Edgbaston is, aesthetically at the very least, the knock of the tournament thus far.

Shakib Al-Hasan (Bangladesh)

606 runs @86.57, 2 centuries

Invariably the greats shape World Cups and names like Virat Kohli and Joe Root slipped off pundits’ tongues in discussions about who would stamp their authority on the 2019 edition. Few, however, mentioned Shakib, and yet the totemic all-rounder’s 606 runs make him this competition’s third highest run-scorer after the group stage. Shakib went into this World Cup as ODI cricket’s best all-rounder according to the ICC rankings; he departs the best all-rounder according to, well, just about everyone else.

Mohammed Shami (India)

[caption id=”attachment_113062″ align=”alignnone” width=”1016″] Shami came into the India side as replacement for the injured Bhuvneshwar Kumar[/caption]

14 wickets @13.78, 1 five-for

In this golden generation of Indian fast bowlers Shami is something of an outlier. Lacking the other worldliness of Jasprit Bumrah or the cultured swing of Bhuveneshwar Kumar, this unassuming fast bowler has often been overlooked. Not anymore. With as many wickets as Bumrah in half the games, Shami has gone from first reserve to match winner. A hat-trick in the final over against Afghanistan extinguished any hopes of an historic upset with the seamer also removing the dangerous Chris Gayle against West Indies and taking a five-for against England.

Three of the worst

James Vince (England)

40 runs @13.33

With Jason Roy’s injury opening a vacancy at the top of England’s order and games against relatively gentle Afghani and Sri Lankan bowling attacks to come, Vince was presented with a golden opportunity to show his undoubted class. What followed were two starts, with the old Vince frailties there for all to see, and a duck in the loss to Australia. With Roy immediately hitting the ground running in his comeback to the side in England victories, the classy yet frustrating Vince’s days as an international cricketer hang by a thread.

Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan)

[caption id=”attachment_113063″ align=”alignnone” width=”1018″] Gulbadin has received criticism for being selfish as captain[/caption]

194 runs @21.55, 9 wickets @46.66

Gulbadin has been an ever present for Afghanistan throughout their extraordinary journey from the World Cricket League Division 5 to the Cricket World Cup. Controversially promoted to skipper on the eve tournament, Gulbadin was flying high and then, with Afghanistan within touching of a maiden World Cup win, he conspired to blow it all. With Pakistan needing six from the final over on a pitch where Afghanistan’s spinners had been near unplayable, Naib, a medium-pacer, inexplicably brought himself on to bowl, an emotive decision which cost Afghanistan the match.

Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

8 wickets @42.62

Along with Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada came into the tournament as the most feted and complete fast bowler in world cricket; as the Proteas crashed out of the competition at the group stages, he is emblematic of their struggles. Eight wickets at 42.62 is a poor return for a player of Rabada’s class and his captain’s frustrations with his premier fast bowler have been plain to see with du Plessis revealing that he tried to block KG from playing in the IPL to keep him fresh for the tournament.

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