5 great cricketers who have poor records in ICC knockout matches
It is not always possible to live up to the lofty standards that are set. Sometimes, even the best players struggle. When you can't be expected to have a good day all the time, it is only natural that you have bad ones, especially if the pressure is high.
Several stars have struggled when it comes to ICC knockout matches. While both Shahid Afridi and MS Dhoni don't have especially great records in knockout matches in ICC events, Afridi was the Man of the Match in the 2009 World T20 that Pakistan won while Dhoni claimed the Man of the Match award in the 2011 World Cup in which India beat Sri Lanka.
Here are 5 great cricketers who have poor records in ICC knockout matches:
NOTE: Only records in ICC World T20, World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy knockout matches have been considered.
#5 Brendon McCullum
One of the finest captains to emerge out of New Zealand, Brendon McCullum has scored over 14,000 runs in international cricket. He led his country to their maiden World Cup final but his record overall in ICC knockout matches isn't especially great.
In fact, among all batsmen who have scored at least 100 runs in knockout matches at ICC tournaments, his average of 13.20 is the worst. In the 10 knockout games that he has played, he has scored just a solitary fifty and he has been out for a duck thrice, including in the ICC World Cup 2015 final against Australia when he was dismissed by Mitchell Starc in the first over.
His record is particularly dismal in ICC World Cup knockout matches. In nine matches, he has scored just 106 runs at an average of 11.77. Although he has scored a fifty and has a strike rate in excess of 100, he has been out for a duck thrice as well and the one in the final against Australia cost his country a shot at their maiden World Cup.