Whose profile has been augmented and whose has been tarnished over the last five weeks? Oscar Radcliffe picks out the best and worst performances in the Cricket World Cup 2019.
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)
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.
