5 surprise performers of the ICC Cricket World Cup so far

The group stages of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup concluded on Sunday. After 42 games, 8 teams made it to the knockout stages and 6 others boarded the flight back home. During the course of these games, there were numerous noteworthy performances.While some of these performers were the usual suspects like Kumar Sangakkara, AB De Villiers and Mitchell Starc, there were quite a few surprise performers as well. Let’s take a look at some of the surprise performers of the World Cup so far:

#1 Lahiru Thirimanne

For someone whose playing style has been compared to the great Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanne has a big reputation to live up to. However, over the years he has only shown sparks of brilliance and has been rather inconsistent.

In this World Cup though, he seems to have found a new level of consistency. In 6 games, the Sri Lankan opener has scored 261 runs at an average of 52.20 and a strike rate of 84.74. Thirimanne’s good run of form has eased the pressure on the senior pros of the team like Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene.

What he has done differently: Rather than Thirimanne doing something different, it is the Sri Lankan think tank that has done something different by promoting him to the top of the order. Though he made his debut as an opener, his batting position gradually slipped to number 5 and number 6. Often, he used to come in at a time when either very few deliveries were left or he had very few partners to play with.

The 25-year old’s playing style is such that he needs a few deliveries to play himself in, something that can’t be done lower down the order. However, the opener’s slot provides this kind of luxury, something that he has used to his advantage.

#2 Ravichandran Ashwin

Given that Ravichandran Ashwin hasn’t had much success on Australian soil on two earlier tours, his performance in the ongoing World Cup has left many pleasantly surprised. It is also one of the major reasons why the Indian team has been able to dismiss each of its 6 opponents. In 6 games, the offie has picked up 12 wickets at an average of 21.50 and an economy rate of 4.53. Often, his spells have produced vital breakthroughs and tilted the game in India’s favour.

What he has done differently: The 28-year old has often been criticised for trying out too many variations. In an over, he would bowl around 3 different kinds of deliveries which proved detrimental for his line and length. Moreover, an overuse of his variations meant that batsmen around the world had figured him out. However, in this World Cup, he has concentrated a lot on bowling his stock delivery: the off break.

He has also been a lot slower through the air and hasn’t shied away from tossing the ball up. He has also focused more on bowling from over the wicket rather than going around the wicket, something Ashwin hasn’t done much in the past.

#3 Mahmudullah

Mahmudullah’s form with the bat is one of the major reasons why Bangladesh see themselves in the knockout stages of the current World Cup. In the game against England, he created history when he became the first Bangladeshi batsman to score a World Cup hundred. He followed this up with another brilliant hundred in the subsequent game against New Zealand.

Overall, he has scored 344 runs in the tournament at an average of 86 and a strike rate of 82.89. He is amongst the top 5 leading run-scorers of the tournament.

What he has done differently: A lot of credit needs to go to Bangladesh’s team management for promoting the 29-year-old up the order. Over the years, he has played a lot at number 6 and number 7, which really did not allow the team to make full use of his batting abilities.

However, his promotion up the order means that he has a lot more deliveries to face and a lot of time at his disposal to build an innings. Moreover, credit also needs to be given to Mahmudullah for putting a price on his wicket. Right through this tournament, he has shown the willingness to stay till the very end and help his team’s cause.

#4 Daniel Vettori

After spending a couple of years in the wilderness, Daniel Vettori is back with a bang. In 6 games of the World Cup so far, he has picked up 13 wickets at an excellent average of 13.69 and a miserly economy rate of 3.22. Though Trent Boult hogged the limelight with the ball in the game against Australia, it was Vettori who brought his team back in the game by breaking the crucial partnership between David Warner and Shane Watson. In the game against Bangladesh, he proved his usefulness with the bat as he struck some lusty blows down the order and took his team over the line.

What he has done differently: As far as his bowling is concerned, the Kiwi veteran has done nothing different and has continued to bowl with pinpoint accuracy. In a tournament where scores in excess of 300 have been the norm, he is one of the major reasons why the Kiwis haven’t conceded in excess of 300 in any game.

However, from his body language, it is pretty evident that his confidence seems to have returned. Brendon McCullum, in particular, deserves a lot of credit for the same. He believed in his most experienced bowler, especially at a time when Vettori himself wasn’t feeling too good about his bowling and was contemplating retirement.

#5 Shikhar Dhawan

Given his poor form in the months leading up to the World Cup, there were many who questioned Shikhar Dhawan’s place in the Indian team. However, he has silenced all his detractors by delivering a powerful performance with the bat in the group stages of the World Cup. In 6 games, the Delhi dasher has amassed 337 runs at an average of 56.17 and a strike rate of 94.13. His hundred in the game against South Africa laid the platform for a big total, one the South Africans could not overhaul which led to India’s first victory over them in World Cups.

What he has done differently: It’s a known fact that the 29-year-old is a genuine stroke maker who likes to go for his shots from the word go. In the World Cup, however, he has curbed his attacking instincts. In the beginning of his innings, he looks to bide time in the middle to get used to the pace and the bounce of the pitch. He seems to have worked on his game in the nets as he is also playing a majority of his shots along the ground, an indication that he is able to ride the bounce well. MS Dhoni also deserves a lot of praise for backing his player at a time when things were not going his way.

P.S: Dhawan seems to have a liking for teams that don green kits. He did well against Pakistan, South Africa and Ireland, all of whom have green jerseys. So, another solid performance from the left-hander against Bangladesh in the quarters should be nothing more than par for the course!