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It was true what they said about Group 1 in the T20 World Cup 2021 being the 'Group of Death'. That turned out to be the case, as South Africa got knocked out of the tournament despite winning four of their five games. In the end, it boiled down to net run rate (NRR), as both England and Australia enjoyed thumping wins against Bangladesh to boost their NRR.
Group 1 had its fair share of players who gave their all for their teams. It's a pity some of them could not take their teams to the knockouts. On that note, here's a look at the best player from each team in Group 1 of the T20 World Cup 2021:
#1 England - Jos Buttler
This was an easy pick considering Jos Buttler is the leading run-scorer of the T20 World Cup 2021. He also has the highest score so far, the only century scored so far in the tournament. Moreover, he has the highest batting average - a massive 120, and striking the ball at a strike rate of 155.
Buttler has scored the most sixes ( 13) at the T20 World Cup 2021 and the fifth-most fours (18) at the T20 World Cup 2021.
It is not just in stats that he is leading the team. Buttler has three not out scores in his five innings, and took the team to victory when chasing against Australia and West Indies. He also scored the century while rescuing his side against Sri Lanka from an unfavourable position.
#2 Australia - Adam Zampa
The T20 World Cup 2021 in the Middle East has been a godsend for spin bowlers. Very few spinners have been on top of the batters in the tournament than Australia's Adam Zampa.
The leg-spinner has 11 wickets in five matches so far, the most by bowler in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021. He has taken a wicket in every match so far, with his five-wicket haul against Bangladesh being his best effort thus far.
Zampa also has the third-best bowling average in the tournament (9.91) and the fourth-best strike rate (10.36). He has done so bowling 19 of his 20 available overs, which is simply outstanding.
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Honourary mention: David Warner is also back in form just in time for the semi-finals after a blitzkrieg 89 against West Indies in a must-win game for Australia.
#3 South Africa - Dwaine Pretorius
South Africa came into the T20 World Cup 2021 as a mixed bag of sorts. But even detractors agreed that they came in as one of the best bowling sides in the tournament. They ended their campaign justifying that tag, with three of their bowlers in the top ten wicket-takers in the tournament and four in the top 15.
Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada and Andre Nortje are all renowned T20 merchants, but the surprise package has been Dwaine Pretorius. He picked up nine wickets in the T20 World Cup 2021, functioning mostly as a death-overs specialist.
His economy rate of 8.16 might be worse off than his compatriots, but his strike rate of 9.78 and average of 11.22 are among the best. If only their batters fired against Australia, South Africa could have made the semis of the T20 World Cup 2021.
#4 Sri Lanka - Wanindu Hasaranga
This is another easy pick, as Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga is in the reckoning to be the player of the tournament at the T20 World Cup 2021. He overtook Ajanta Mendis to become the player with the most wickets in a single edition of the T20 World Cup, thereby making himself one to watch out for in the future.
Hasaranga took 16 wickets, at a less than a run-a-ball economy of 5.8, and at a stellar strike rate of 11.25 and average of 9.75. In the eight matches he played (including qualifiers), he took at least a wicket in every game except the one against Bangladesh. That was also the only game at the T20 World Cup 2021 in which he didn't bowl his full quota of overs.
Not to mention, Hasaranga also took a hat-trick in that game to become the World's No.1 T20 bowler in the world. Talk about making a strong case to be the player of the tournament!
#5 West Indies - Akeal Hosein
West Indies have not had a T20 World Cup 2021 campaign to be proud of, and that is evident when you look at their stats. They have no bowler or batter in the top 15 in either wickets taken or runs scored. It has been a tournament of collective failure by the team in all departments of the game.
Akeal Hosein emerged as the highest wicket-taker for the team despite taking only 5 wickets. He was the real only positive for the deposed holders. He took a wicket in every game except the one against Sri Lanka, at a healthy economy of 7.
He is one of the players for the future, one the West Indies could and should build a team around, hopefully.
#6 Bangladesh - Mahmadullah
It was a pity Shakib Al Hasan had to cut his tournament short due to injury. That's because he was well on track to emerge as Bangladesh's player of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
As soon as he departed the tournament, the Tigers fell apart like a house of cards, and never really got going. They ended the Super 12s without a single win in five games.
In the batting department, Mohammad Naim and Mahmadullah were the lone shining spots for Bangladesh. Mahmadullah had a better strike rate(120) and average (28.15) than his teammate. Even then, it was a mightily disappointing tournament for the team.
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