T20 World Cup 2021: 3 surprise performers in the tournament
The T20 World Cup has come to an end and Australia, not regarded as one of the favorites leading into the tournament, outmuscled New Zealand in the final.
Over the course of this tournament, there were a number of top-notch performances, a few controversies, plenty of talent and grit, and a lot of heartache.
The conditions on offer were difficult for the players and this is where the skilled players stood out. Plenty of big names faded away, new stars stepped up and the quality of cricket was generally good.
There were players who were never touted to ace T20s, but managed to break free and make a statement on the grand stage.
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Here in this article, we will take a look at 3 names who surprised everyone with their performances at the T20 World Cup:
1.) Josh Hazlewood
It has been a superb few weeks for Josh Hazlewood. After winning the IPL title with Chennai Super Kings, the pacer went on to play a pivotal role in Australia bagging their maiden T20 World Cup.
Hazlewood bowls with metronomic accuracy and experts believed batters would be able to line him up and go after his bowling. But unlike other bowlers who bowl with this unnerving accuracy, Hazlewood is taller and hits the deck on a consistent basis.
In the UAE, the sluggish nature of the pitch helped him keep the batters under control. He has been working on his variations that include a knuckleball and has a decent cutter as well.
Hazlewood's efforts paid off as in seven matches at the T20 World Cup, he picked up 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.29, establishing himself as a complete bowler.
Hazlewood delivers the breakthrough ☝️
Phillips is gone for 18.
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2.) Daryl Mitchell
Daryl Mitchell was asked to open the innings just before the T20 World Cup by New Zealand. After struggling a touch in the initial few matches, he came into his own at the business end of the event.
The right-hander played one of the innings of the tournament as he single-handedly knocked England out in the semi-finals. Chasing down a stiff target of 167, Mitchell batted through and played a memorable innings of 72.
Before this, the all-rounder had played another crucial innings against India in the league phase. New Zealand have found a proper opener in Mitchell, one that can serve the side really well on true pitches.
With 208 runs, Mitchell was one of the leading run-scorers for the Black Caps in the T20 World Cup. He got these runs at an average of 34.66 and a strike rate of 140.54.
3.) Shadab Khan
Before the T20 World Cup, there were question marks over Shadab Khan's place in the Pakistani side. There were calls to include Usman Qadir in the playing XI since he was considered a more attacking option.
However, Shadab roared back into form during the marquee tournament. The 23-year-old kept plugging the runs in the middle overs and also chipped in with crucial wickets.
Shadab Khan saved his best for the semi-final clash against Australia where he picked up four wickets and almost won the game for Pakistan.
In the 2021 T20 World Cup, Shadab picked up a total of nine wickets in six innings at an average of 15 and an economy rate of 6.00.