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Opinion
As the World Cup reaches its final phase it has been a life-changing experience for several players and will end the careers of others who have failed to live up to expectations.
The semi-final teams are locked in and the six teams are either running out the clock or already on the way home.
It used to be that a World Cup was a chance for players to impress each country’s selectors to remain in the national team into the future.
But now the tournament is an audition for the IPL scouts who have been analysing every last delivery, stroke and piece of fielding as they work out who to draft into their franchise for next year’s T20 extravaganza.
And for some players who have been hanging on for this World Cup as a way to end their career on a high, that dream is still alive, but for many they are now facing the grim reality that Father Time has chalked up another win and the selectors will be thinking perhaps a younger option would have been better.
Rachin Ravindra: Very few cricket supporters outside the hardcore Black Caps fans had even heard of this stylish batter before the World Cup but he has announced his arrival in amazing fashion to be the breakout star of this tournament.
Born in New Zealand to Indian parents, he will be an IPL scout’s dream and it’s refreshing to see the next player who could be a generational talent is from the Black Caps instead of the usual Big Three.
He is set to finish in the top three runscorers for the tournament after smashing three centuries in his 565 runs at an average of 70.62 and a strike rate north of 108.
Adam Zampa: It was a gamble for the Aussies to go into the World Cup with only one frontline spinner and despite a few anxious moments with back spasms, Zampa has been superb.
Heading into Saturday night’s final group game against Bangladesh, he has 20 wickets at 19.2, a more than decent economy rate of 5.56 and is striking every 20 deliveries.
If he hadn’t overcome a rare form slump last month, the Aussies would be nowhere near the semi-final equation.
Glenn Maxwell: A double ton when his team was 7-91. Enough said. He has vaulted himself into the conversation for Australia’s best all-time all-rounder alongside the likes of Shane Watson, Steve Waugh and Andrew Symonds. And his bowling has been extremely important for the Aussies too.
Dilshan Madushanka: The Sri Lankan left-arm seamer leads the wicket-takers tally with 21 and the 23-year-old, who has played just one Test, has the potential to be a long-term cornerstone for his team to build their spin-heavy attack around.
Mohammed Shami: Was grossly undervalued by the Indian selectors buthas madethem recalculate their sums after being reinstated into the line-up.
Sixteen wickets in four matches at the ridiculous average of 7.00. That’s not a typo. Thsi is. Shami is fourth on the wicket-taking tally and you couldn’t rule out him rising into first if he takes a third five-for in India’s final group game against the Netherlands.
Virat Kohli celebrates his century against Bangladesh. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Virat Kohli: Say what?His stock was already a blue-chipper and he’s lived up to that billing.
But he can become the gold standard for ODI cricketers, potentially the greatest of all time, if he can continue his group form into the semis and final.
If he can retire with two World Cup trophies on his resume, he will rise above Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni to become India’s best ever white-ball player.
Pat Cummins’ captaincy: It’s been effective – you can’t argue with a 6-2 record – but has it been particularly good?
His bowling changes have left a lot to be desired and the litmus test for whether he can lead this team to meaningful wins will come in the knockout stages where he will need to turn around massive defeats from South Africa and, likely, India.
Quinton de Kock: He’s blasted the bowlers all over the placebut he needs to perform on the biggest stage to avoid a Lance Klusener 1999 style run-fest that doesn’t translate to team success.
De Kock is retiring from ODI cricket after this tournament and he is the key to their hopes of reversing their trend of choking in the money matches.
Like Brendon McCullum in the 2015 World Cup final, the Aussies will target de Kock from the get-go but if he can repel their bowling and rack up another big score, the Proteas could finally, finally not fall short and perhaps even win the thing.
Jos Buttler is bowled by Kuldeep Yadav. (Photo by Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Jos Buttler: It’s doubtful whether he will remain England’s ODI skipper after this tournament after the defending champs have slumped to a 2-6 record to finish in the also-rans.
Buttler has had a nightmare tournament, tallying just 111 runs at a tick over 13.
He is part of England’s white-ball golden generation who have hung on a year too long and the powers that be need to overhaul the team before next year’s T20 World Cup or that title defence will be another abject failure.
Shakib Al Hasan’s reputation: Thetimed outfiasco involving Angelo Mathews could have been easily avoided if the Bangladeshi skipper had been less snake like.
Mathews’ helmet strap broke and while the Sri Lankan veteran should have informed the umpires and Shakib that he needed more time before facing his first ball, appealing for his wicket was poor form.
Angelo Mathews leaves the field after being timed out in Sri Lanka’s World Cup clash with Bangladesh. (Photo by Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)
Shakib should have at the very least said to the umpire that he wanted a guarantee that the wasted time wouldn’t count against their over rate but instead he took the chance to pounce on an unfortunate accident.
The share price on his reputation was already low after he had been banned for failing to report approaches from bookmakers and also kicked stumps after getting out in a game but he’s now into junk bond territory.
Steve Smith’s ODI spot: It’s looking shaky. He’s been very guarded about his playing future but on current form, he needs to jettison a format or two because batters rarely get a second wind at 34.
Australia’s selectors have been notoriously reluctant to tap legends on the shoulder in recent years but with the likes of Ashton Turner, Matt Short, Aaron Hardie and even Cameron Green crying out for a decent crack at cementing a spot in the ODI side, Smith’s time is nigh.
The same rationale could apply to Mitchell Starc. He looks tired and lacks penetration. He should shelve the 50-over slugfest and save his body to cash in at the IPL after bypassing it for so many years.