World Cup 2019: The best batting performances of the tournament
The World Cup 2019 got a befitting end, with the viewers being treated to an edge of the seat thriller in the final. The game found very little to distinguish between the two sides, as both England and New Zealand put their best foot forward. After a tied game and a tied super-over, the boundary count finally declared England the world champions.
Batting forms an integral department of a team's composition, especially in tournaments like the World Cup. Runs on the board always add to the pressure on the opposition, and it takes a solid batting performance to put this pressure . Chasing is considered to be an art, as the batsmen have to diligent about the required rate, wickets in hand. the bowlers to be targeted, and the scoring strategy.
It is an immense pleasure to witness immaculate technique and pristine timing, and such performances in the World Cup exponentially increase their worth.
This edition was a fantastic one for the batsmen, with the likes of Rohit Sharma, David Warner, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Shakib Al Hasan standing out. It was the first occasion that three batsmen (Rohit, Warner, and Shakib) crossed the 600 mark in the same edition of the tournament. While there were many brilliant innings, there were some knocks that stood out. Let's have a look at them.
#6 Nathan Coulter-Nile - 92 vs West Indies
Australia took on West Indies at Nottingham in their second game of the World Cup. The Aussies were surprisingly invited to bat first by West Indies on a venue that has been a batting paradise of late.
However, the Caribbean bowlers proved their captain's decision right, as they sent half the Australian side back into the pavilion inside 80 runs. The bowlers were at their savage best, peppering short balls with great precision to the Australian batsmen. After 15 more overs, vice captain Alex Carey was dismissed, leaving the defending champions staring at danger.
It was then that Nathan Coulter-Nile walked in to bat, with him and Steve Smith being the last recognised batting pair for Australia. Coulter-Nile came out all guns blazing at the Windies bowlers, taking the attack back to them. He scored at a brisk pace, allowing Steve Smith to play the anchor. He was diligent in his attack, and focused on rotation of strike along with the big shots.
The all-rounder continued his carnage even after the dismissal of Smith and took Australia to a safe total of 288. He scored 92 invaluable runs of just 60 balls, a mind-boggling effort by a lower-order batsman. His broke the record of the highest World Cup score by a No. 8 batsman with this innings.
Also read – World cup winners list