Ranking the finishers of all 10 2023 World Cup teams ft. David Miller and Hardik Pandya
The 2023 ODI World Cup will kickstart on Thursday with a mouthwatering clash between defending champions England and runners-up New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The 10 teams will face each other once in the league stage after which the top four sides will qualify for the semi-finals.
The warm-up matches, albeit ruled by rain, were more than enough to excite the fans with high scores being on offer. The optimum batting conditions and the already-skewered batting-friendly rules lead to an event that will be dominated by the batters.
With two new balls, there will not be much in offer for the bowlers in the final powerplay despite having the luxury of keeping five fielders in the deep. Teams will be confident of scoring over 100 runs in the final powerplay if the conditions dictate it and if they have wickets in hand.
This is where finishers come into play, on flat conditions, no total is arguably safe and teams will be on the lookout to amass as much as possible. On the other hand, having reliable finishers also keeps the team in the hunt during a run chase irrespective of the asking rate.
On that note, let us rank the finishers of all 10 2023 World Cup teams.
#10 The Netherlands (Scott Edwards, Saqib Zulfiqar, and Logan van Beek)
The Netherlands' last cricketing action, discounting a rain-curtailed warm-up contest against Australia, came in July, when they faced Sri Lanka in the final of the World Cup qualifiers.
Skipper Scott Edwards is a key batter in the lower-middle order and will be followed by Saqib Zulfiqar and Logan van Beek at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. They will have a hard time asserting themselves against high-quality bowling attacks in the competition.
The Dutch have struggled to bat out their entire quota of fifty overs against the top-ranked side, and the trend might continue in the World Cup as well.
#9 Bangladesh (Mahedi Hasan and Mahmudullah)
Bangladesh will have a genuinely tough time in the final 10 overs as they have assembled quite a weak lower-middle order. They did perform well against India in the Asia Cup 2023, but a one-off performance will not cut through in a tournament like the ODI World Cup.
A lot also depends on Bangladesh's combination in the playing XI. Should they choose not to send Mehidy Hasan Miraz to the top, he can be used as a finisher.
But apart from the aforementioned all-rounder, Bangladesh do not have a reliable candidate for the task. Mahmudullah is an experienced candidate, but he has been inconsistent of late.
#8 Sri Lanka (Dasun Shanaka and Dhananjaya de Silva)
Dasun Shanaka's form comes across as a huge concern for Sri Lanka heading into the World Cup. The all-rounder has shown that he is a brilliant batter towards the back end of the innings, but his recent outings have made him a shadow of his former self.
With the top half of the batting unit largely stabilized by Kusal Mendis and Charith Asalanka, the onus of finishing the innings comes down to the skipper as well as Dhananjaya de Silva.
Sri Lanka could have had an able finisher in Wanindu Hasaranga, but his untimely injury means that he will not partake in the upcoming tournament.
#7 Afghanistan (Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan)
Afghanistan's lack of strength in the middle order is diluted by the kind of depth they have in their batting. The all-rounder pair of Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan have proved time and time again that they are no mucks with the bat.
Nabi recently showed his prowess during the Asia Cup 2023 group-stage encounter against Sri Lanka.
Rashid Khan, on the other hand, has the gifted ability to score quick runs which could give the team massive momentum at the end of the first innings, or take the team closer to the target during a run chase.
#6 Pakistan (Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, and Mohammad Nawaz)
The positions from No. 5-7 have haunted Pakistan in recent times across formats. Shadab Khan has improved massively with the bat, gaining the status of a certified all-rounder while Iftikhar Ahmed has also shown promise.
However, how much the lower-middle order will hold up against pressure and a high-quality bowling attack is a whole different question.
Mohammad Nawaz also has the ability to make a quick impact, but it all comes down to how the Pakistan lower-middle order introduces some consistency to their game.
#5 New Zealand (Glenn Phillips and Jimmy Neesham)
The Blackcaps were impressive in the warm-up matches, and the highlight of both fixtures was their batting. The top order went about their business as predicted, but were well supported by the batters down the order as well.
Glenn Phillips has shown his abilities in the shortest format while James Neesham also has a credible reputation as a pinch hitter.
Apart from the pair, even Mark Chapman was among the runs and the trio's solid form will come across as a huge boost for the team.
#4 Australia (Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, and Alex Carey)
Australia may have had to shuffle things in their top four, with Mitchell Marsh and Marnus Labuschagne being reintegrated into the playing XI. However, their middle and lower-middle order comes across as sturdy with a blend of experience and youth.
Glenn Maxwell has hit form at the right time, and being the side's second 'specialist' spinner, he is one of the most important members at present.
Alex Carey, being a left-handed batter, can be used as a floater while Cameron Green already showed his big-hitting prowess during the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
#3 India (Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja)
Team India's batting depth and long tail have been the talk of the town in the lead-up to the tournament. On paper, the power-packed duo of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja offer everything that a side needs right from versatility to ability.
However, form-wise, the pair have not fared well in recent times. Hardik has not been a conventional finisher anymore ever since his move up the order. Jadeja, on the other hand, has struggled with rhythm, tempo, and strike rotation at times.
The bulk of India's batting is pivoted towards the top and middle order, but as it happens in a long tournament like the World Cup, those batters might collapse in a heap, requiring the finishers to take on multiple roles as the innings progresses.
#2 South Africa (Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, and Marco Jansen)
The Proteas are arguably dark horses heading into the 2023 ODI World Cup and one of their major strengths comes in the lower-middle order. While they have a relatively solid top and middle order, it is the trio of Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, and Marco Jansen that hold the key.
Klaasen is arguably in the form of his life and has had a memorable year already. While the majority of his exploits have come in the shortest format, and luckily for him, the skills are largely transferrable.
Miller's experience will come in handy and the impact that he brings is quite well documented.
Jansen has been a surprise with the bat of late, chipping in with some valuable contributions down the order.
#1 England (Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, and Jos Buttler)
The defending champions' batting depth is possibly their biggest strength, and if their power-packed top order and middle order were not enough, they have a reliable set of finishers as well.
All three of Liam Livingston, Moeen Ali, and Jos Buttler are exceptional hitters of the white ball, and more so than everything else, their ability to get going from the word go and dominate the opposition bowling attack is exceptional.
Which finisher will have the maximum number of sixes at the 2023 ODI World Cup? Let us know what you think.