World Cup 2019: The 'Impact' XI
The 12th edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup got off to a rocking start. The hosts made a rollicking start by beating South Africa by 104 runs in the tournament opener. The fifties by Jason Roy, Eion Morgan, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes propelled the Englishmen to 311. In reply, the Proteas got off to a shaky start after a Jofra Archer bouncer ended up ruffling Hashim Amla's feathers. The hosts kept striking at regular intervals. The Proteas could only manage 207/10 in just under 40 overs.
So, it certainly would be no overstatement to say that the 2019 edition of the world cup has got off to the best possible start. Mind you; this is just the beginning. There's a lot more in store. All of the teams have some talented players in their ranks. West Indies, for instance, have found a gem of a player in Shimron Hetmeyer. The 22-year-lad from Guyana is an emerging young talent. His recent batting exploits in the limited-overs format have been quite impressive.
South Africa's Lungi Ngidi is yet another youngster who has been making his presence felt on the international stage. His stocks have risen quite considerably ever since he made his ODI debut against India in early 2018.
Similarly, we have quite a few impact players playing in the world cup this time around. Glenn Maxwell, for instance, can turn the game on its head at any given point in the match. He's a power hitter. There are others like him as well.
So, the stage is set. The teams are ready, and so are the spectators. This time around, it is expected to be another crackerjack of a contest. Let us take a look at some players ( across all teams) who are expected to stamp their authority on the tournament.
Before we look at the Impact XI, let us take a look at some notable exclusions.
1) Kausal Mendis (Sri Lanka)
2) Lokesh Rahul (India)
3) Glenn Maxwell (Australia)
4) Jos Buttler (England)
5) Lungi Ngidi (South Africa)
6) Chris Gayle (West Indies)
7)Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
8)Johnny Bairstow (England)
1) The openers
Jason Roy (England)
This lad from Surrey can hit the ball a long-long way. Jason Roy and Johnny Bairstow share opening duties for England. Their ability to go after the bowlers early on in the innings has been well documented. Roy is believed to have revolutionized England's approach in limited overs cricket. The shackles of orthodoxy have now been thrown away.
Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper) (South Africa)
Quinton de Kock's exploits in one-day cricket are well known . Boy, this lad from Johannesburg can hit the ball a long-long way. His ability to score quickly has made him one of hottest properties in world cricket. Also, his wicket-keeping skills are no less impressive. Like most other batsmen, he too finds it hard to play against the moving ball, but his ability to pull off the big blows makes him a dangerous customer.
Also read - Highest total chased in world cup