T20 World Cup 2022: "It was a hole that needed filling" - Nasser Hussain hails Sam Curran for his brilliant death-bowling throughout the tournament
Nasser Hussain has heaped praise on Sam Curran for solving England's death-bowling woes in their victorious T20 World Cup 2022 campaign. The former England captain labeled the pacer a "smart cricketer", adding that he has used the ground dimensions exceptionally well.
The 24-year-old was in magnificent form in the tournament, especially in the final against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, November 13.
The left-arm seamer returned with figures of 4-0-12-3, winning the Player of the Final award. He was also adjudged the Player of the Tournament for taking a total of 13 wickets in six matches.
Player of the Match ✅
Player of the Tournament ✅
Some cricketer, @CurranSM 👏 https://t.co/9ABklZ7Gwn
While praising Curran, Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail:
"England’s death bowling hasn’t been good of late and it is the biggest area of improvement throughout this tournament. It was a hole that needed filling and Curran has helped fill it superbly."
Upon getting the Player of the Match award in the final, Curran felt Ben Stokes deserved it more. Stokes used his experience brilliantly to get England over the line in pursuit of 138, scoring an unbeaten 52 off 49 balls.
"He’s not the tallest and he’s not the quickest but he’s just very smart" - Nasser Hussain on Sam Curran
Hussain recalled Curran's journey from working with them at Sky Sports during the T20 World Cup 2021 to becoming the Player of the Tournament in the latest edition, saying:
"This time last year Curran was working with us at Sky during the Twenty20 World Cup in the UAE because he had been forced to pull out of England’s squad with a bad back injury. Here he is now a year later, the player of this tournament. Curran really is a remarkable cricketer. He’s not the tallest and he’s not the quickest but he’s just very smart."
He added:
"There would have been plans at this ground for when the bowlers had to bowl short or full, when to bowl wobble seam or cutters and Curran was changing it up virtually every single ball he bowled. He goes through his repertoire and gets it spot on for the dimensions of the ground pretty much every time."
The first England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in men's T20Is 🌟
Sam Curran 👏🏻
#T20WorldCup | #ENGvAFG https://t.co/rR7B4vQauv
Just before the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE, Curran picked up a back injury and missed the entire tournament. He reportedly sustained the injury during IPL 2021.