World Cup: 3 times when Player of the Tournament wasn't a part of the winning team
After a roller coaster ride that lasted nearly one and a half months, comprising 47 matches between top ten teams of the World, we finally have the top two nations which will compete on July 14 to win the coveted World Cup title. After two stellar performances in the two Semi-Finals, New Zealand and England have fittingly booked a place in the Final of the Cricket World Cup at Lord's.
A tournament which became quite predictable with the four teams qualifying for the last four saw some memorable performances throughout the entire course of the league stage. A few upsets and a couple of edge-of-your-seat thrillers, Cricket World Cup 2019 had it all with the final yet to be played.
With many individual performances that set the World Cup alight, there are several players who are in contention to be named as the Player of the tournament for this edition of the World Cup. However, it is commonly awarded to one of the star performers from the World Cup-winning team. Here, we take a look at 3 instances when Player of the tournament in a World Cup was not a part of the winning team.
#3. Sachin Tendulkar (673 runs in 2003)
Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar was at the peak of his powers when he led India to the Finals of the World Cup in 2003 in South Africa. He amassed 673 runs in that entire tournament in just 11 games. However, it was disappointing for him to not turn up on the day when it mattered the most for his team in a World Cup Final.
India bowed out of the World Cup in 2003 after a thumping loss against the defending champions Australia, the only team that the men in blue lost to in the entire competition.
However, when it came to announcing the player of the tournament, there were very few standout individuals who looked apart from the rest. Being the leading-run scorer in the tournament and having the most impactful performances for India, including his knock of 98 against Pakistan, Tendulkar was named the Player of the tournament in 2003.
Tendulkar's tally of 673 runs in a single WC edition still stands out to be the most runs scored by any batsman in a WC tournament.