Top 5 batting performances of 2024 T20 World Cup ft. Rohit Sharma
Contrary to the general perception that T20 cricket is a batsman's game, the T20 World Cup 2024 witnessed the importance of bowlers in the shortest format. The pitches in the USA and the Caribbean tested the best of batsmen in the shortest format and all the batters had to work hard to score their runs.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz was the top scorer (281) during the mega tournament and was followed up by the Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma (257).
The T20 World Cup 2024 was the perfect advertisement for the shortest format that provided a balance between the bat and ball.
On that note, here is a look at the top 5 batting performances of the 2024 T20 World Cup:
#1 Rohit Sharma- 92 vs Australia:
An innings having a strike rate of 224.39 with seven boundaries and eight maximums against one of the best bowling attacks in the world deserves to top this list.
The India skipper was at his aggressive best against the Aussies in St Lucia and scored 92 runs from just 41 balls. The highlight of the innings was the third over of the innings when Rohit smashed Mitchell Starc for four maximums in the said over.
Despite losing the wicket of Virat Kohli in the second over, Rohit kept the pressure on the Aussies by counter-attacking and smashing the ball to all parts of the ground.
Courtesy of his innings, India scored 205 for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs and emerged victorious by a margin of 24 runs.
#2 Sherfane Rutherford- 68* vs New Zealand:
The West Indies middle-order batsman features on this list. In a group match against New Zealand in Guyana, the Windies were in a spot of bother having lost nine wickets for 112 in 18 overs.
The last two overs witnessed the best of Rutherford who first scored 19 overs of the penultimate over. He followed it up with 18 runs in the last over and guided West Indies to a respectable total of 149. The left-hander was unbeaten on 68 from 39 balls including six maximums.
West Indies won the game by 13 runs and Rutherford was named Man of the Match.
#3 Nicholas Pooran- 98 vs Afghanistan:
The Windies keeper-batter is known for his aggressive batting and played a match-winning knock of 98 against Afghanistan in St Lucia.
His knock came at a strike rate of 184.91 and included six boundaries and eight maximums. The Afghan bowlers, comprising Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rashid Khan, and Naveen-ul-Haq, were taken to the cleaners by Pooran and had no answer to the onslaught by the Windies batter.
Pooran's innings of 98 was the highest individual score of the T20 World Cup 2024.
#4 Rahmanullah Gurbaz- 80 against New Zealand:
Gurbaz was the highest run scorer in the T20 World Cup 2024 and impressed one and all with his consistent performances with the bat.
On a tricky batting surface in Guyana against New Zealand, Gurbaz played a calm, composed and mature innings of 80 from 56 balls that included five fours and as many maximums.
He added 103 runs with his fellow opener Ibrahim Zadran for the first wicket and had the Kiwis on the back foot. On a wicket where none of the other batters crossed 45, Gurbaz scored 80 and negotiated an experienced bowling line composing Trent Boult, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson and Mitchell Santner with ease.
Afghanistan won the match comfortably by a margin of 84 runs.
#5 Phil Salt- 87* vs West Indies:
On a good batting wicket in St Lucia, the hosts posted an impressive 180 for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs.
England needed to chase down the target of 181 to keep their chances alive of qualifying for the semi-finals.
Phil Salt was ruthless against the West Indies bowlers during the run chase. He played aggressive cricket from the word go and put the hosts under pressure. He added 67 runs for the opening wicket with skipper Jos Buttler. Despite losing Moeen Ali in quick succession, he added 97 runs with Jonny Bairstow to guide England to a win with 15 balls to spare.
Salt played an unbeaten match-winning innings of 87 from just 47 balls that included five maximums and seven boundaries.