World Cup 2019: 3 benched players who could play a key role in the upcoming matches
More than half of the World Cup 2019 is over and the top four at the moment look good enough to stay in that position by the end of the league stage. Australia, England and India were always the favorites but now even New Zealand look like making the top 4 pretty easily with a really good net run-rate
The World Cup desperately needed some upsets and we finally saw one when Sri Lanka defeated England. Even South Africa losing a lot of games was unexpected; they fought well but some mistakes didn’t allow them to get enough points. Bangladesh tried hard but winning against Australia was always going to be a tough ask.
One team will go through with 11 points, and New Zealand need just one more win to get there.
There are a few players in the top four teams who haven’t played a game yet, and it is important that those players get game time going ahead in the tournament. The top teams don’t want a situation where a player who hasn’t played a single game would suddenly be needed in the knockout stages.
So let’s have a look at three such players who would be important in the later stages of the tournament.
3. Ish Sodhi – New Zealand
Ish Sodhi is one of the few wrist-spinners who hasn’t played a part in this tournament so far. New Zealand have preferred the combination of three pacers, one spinner, and two all-rounders. At the moment Mitchell Santner is doing the job really well, and the fact that he can bat as well puts him ahead of Sodhi.
New Zealand haven’t got a really dry wicket so far as they have played most of their games in slightly green conditions. But later in the tournament with the sun baking down, there would be a case for the leg-spinner.
Sodhi is a good enough leggie and on his day can trouble most batsmen. If the conditions do become favourable for the spinners, then NZ might drop a seamer to get in Sodhi; he might have a key role to play in the knockout stages of the World Cup.
Also see – Australia vs England head to head stats