T20 World Cup 2021: Sheets off for the sheet anchors

The evolution of batting in T20 cricket over the years, both in terms of mentality and technicality, has favored batters a lot. So the average cricket fan can afford to expect low scores being chased down even on slow surfaces, right? Especially if the chasing team consist of reputed big-hitters who have made their mark in various T20 leagues across the globe.

As it turns out, that had certainly not been the case over the last few months. Australia toured Bangladesh for a five-match T20I series in August. The absence of several senior members meant that the Aussies fielded a somewhat inexperienced team. Several of the Aussie batters lacked the experience of playing on slow, low sub-continental pitches, and for the majority of them, this was their first tour to Bangladesh.

The aggregate run rate for both teams added up to 5.61 in the series. Australia failed to chase down 132, 128 and 123 in the first, third and fifth T20Is, getting bundled out for just 62 in the final instance. Their only successful chase came in the fourth match. Huffing and puffing, the Aussies successfully chased down 105, mainly thanks to a 15-ball 39 blitzkrieg from Daniel Christian early on. Throughout the T20I series, no other top-order Australian batter was able to strike at half of what Christian managed in that knock.

Something quite similar happened when Australia’s Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand toured Bangladesh shortly afterwards. The Kiwis, who were also without several of their first-team players, were bundled out twice for under a hundred. Their highest total in the series was 137 while chasing a target of 142. New Zealand almost got there thanks to a gritty unbeaten 65 off 49 from stand-in skipper Tom Latham, who batted at no.3 in that game.

The only game that New Zealand won on the tour was the third T20I, where Henry Nicholls and Tom Blundell joined forces in the 11th over with their side reeling at 62 for 5. The duo batted until the end to notch up a total of 128. Nicholls and Blundell's efforts bore fruit as the Kiwi spinners took eight wickets among themselves to bowl Bangladesh out for only 62.

Had either of the two visiting batting line-ups had just one member, a reputed, experienced sheet anchor, with expertise in steering a T20 innings in the correct direction, the outcome of the series could have been very, very different.

The T20 World Cup has gotten underway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman from the 17th of October. It began just under a week after the conclusion of this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). Given that three T20 World Cup venues - Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah - were also used in the IPL, it can be assumed that the pitches will become harder to bat on.

Moreover, only 12 out of 30 matches in the second leg of the IPL saw teams score 160 runs or more.

Since the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in India in 2016, a total of 60 T20Is have been played in the three aforementioned cricket stadiums. 28 matches have been played in Dubai, 30 in Abu Dhabi, and two in Sharjah. Out of the 60 matches, there have been 46 instances of teams scoring 161 or less while batting first. 26 out of those contests were won by the chasing teams.

Now, out of these 46 encounters, 71.7 percent of the triumphant teams (33 instances) have had at least one batter from the top five playing a major role. Such a batter has either batted until the end of the innings or for at least three quarters of it, taking their team to a commanding position.

By further breaking it down, we will find that 22 instances out of the 71.7 percent have taken place while chasing. This depicts that teams have been able to successfully chase down targets of 161 or less on virtually half of the 46 occasions with the help of a top-order batter anchoring the run chase.

Therefore, we can safely concur with the fact that the most essential element in each batting line-up for this year’s T20 World Cup needs to be a sheet anchor. A batter who, preferably, bats in the top four, has a reputation for being a decent player of spin, and is capable of batting until the end.

Taking all of the above points into account, let us go through each of the eight Super 12 teams and determine the most suitable candidate for the same.

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Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi

Afghanistan’s crisis man for years now, Mohammad Nabi has had vast experience of batting in UAE conditions. He has performed the exact role that has been the crux of this entire passage, albeit majorly against Associate teams. Since the 2016 T20 World Cup, Nabi has played a total of 28 T20Is. Batting in the middle order, Nabi has accumulated a total of 627 runs at a strike rate of 148.9. He had a stellar 2019, when he hit 284 runs in eight innings at an average of 47.3 and a strike rate of 167.1.

Nabi has also more than made up for Afghanistan's lack of T20I cricket over the last couple of years. He has done so by taking part in various domestic leagues all over the world. This year, having played a total of seven matches spanning over the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the T20 Blast in England, Nabi has accumulated a total of 214 runs. He has done so at a mind-boggling average of 107, while his strike rate reads 175. What’s more impressive is that Nabi has been part of the winning side on all seven occasions, either by playing second-fiddle or by taking matters into his own hands.

There have been nine instances of Afghanistan successfully chasing down a target in a T20I since the 2016 T20 World Cup. Out of that, Nabi remained unbeaten five times and did not bat on two occasions.

Afghanistan are a much more established team now with plenty of firepower in the top order. Their spin attack will be a major threat on slow decks. But with Mohammad Nabi in their middle order, Afghanistan will feel that extra sense of security of having a true match-winner in their ranks.

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Australia: Steve Smith

Australia really missed Steve Smith during their T20I tour of Bangladesh. Despite his more recent IPL performances coming under criticism, Smith remains Australia's go-to man in tricky situations.

In the 12 T20Is Smith has batted since 2016, he has accumulated 363 runs at a strike rate of 139.1 and an average of 40.3. Australia emerged victorious on all three occasions while he remained unbeaten. There might be doubts over how he fares in the UAE, given he hasn’t played any T20Is there in the last five years. But Smith has walked out to the middle on 58 occasions in sub-continent conditions in franchise cricket in that time-period, managing 1,606 runs at an average of 34.17, while striking at 124.43.

On the 44 occasions Smith has faced spinners while playing franchise cricket over the last five years, he has been dismissed only nine times. His record during the time-period against spinners is staggering to say the least - 681 runs at an average of 75.7 and a strike rate of 121.86. Mitchell Marsh is currently Australia's best bet to bat at no.3, but given their batting performance against Bangladesh earlier this year, they would do well to accommodate Smith in that position.

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England: Moeen Ali

Right, this might raise a few eyebrows, given that the individual who has been performing that role for the last couple of years or so has been very good at it. But Dawid Malan, who sits atop the ICC T20I batting rankings, has a worrying record against spin bowling.

Out of the 30 times he has batted for England, Malan has been dismissed a total of 16 times against spinners. On the 28 occasions he has faced spin bowling, Malan has scored a total of 343 runs at a strike rate of 144.9. With limited batting experience in sub-continent conditions and playing in all five matches of the T20I series against India earlier this year, he had a strike rate of 112.09.

He started the series off quite well, guiding England to an eight-wicket victory with a 20-ball 24* knock while chasing 125. But then he struggled in the next three games, falling to spin on all three occasions. He salvaged some pride for himself in the fifth match, scoring 68 off 46, albeit in a losing cause. Overall, he scored 31 off 39 balls at an average of 10.3 in the five matches against the Indian spinners.

Meanwhile, England have a spin-bowling all-rounder in Moeen Ali, who can be accommodated in the playing XI for his batting itself. Ali has a reputation for being a dominant player of spin, as evident from the way he batted in the IPL. But for England, he has often been sent in to bat lower down the order, with very few balls to play with.

It has been well documented that the all-rounder from Worcester performs better when batting in the top four in T20 cricket. Ali has an average of 32 at a strike rate of 158, which inflates to 172.9 while taking only the middle overs into account.

Also, using Ali as a batsman who’d fill in with a few overs will benefit England in terms of team composition. They can afford to add a specialist bowler or another all-rounder to their playing XI.

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India: Virat Kohli

Arguably India’s most versatile T20I batter, Virat Kohli has established himself as a batting great in T20 cricket while batting in all the top-four spots. In fact, he opened, batted at no.3 and 4 within a span of two months this year itself. He did so over the course of the T20I series against England and the first leg of the IPL.

Despite scoring a couple of single-digit scores, Kohli averaged 115.50 in the five-match T20I series against England, scoring a total of 231 runs. He hit an unbeaten 73 in the second T20I batting at no.3, stitching a 94-run partnership with debutant Ishan Kishan and eventually helping India chase down 165.

The following game, walking in at no.4, he held one end as India slumped to 64/4 in the 12th over. Kohli batted until the end to help his side get to 156, with his personal score being 77 off 46 deliveries. Unfortunately, Kohli's efforts turned out to be inadequate as Jos Buttler beautifully anchored the run chase for England. With an unbeaten 83 off 52, Buttler guided England to an eight wicket-win.

Given his tremendous form going into the series decider, the Indian skipper decided to open the innings alongside his deputy Rohit Sharma. The duo went bonkers against an England bowling attack consisting of the likes of Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood. The makeshift opening duo then went on to put on 94 for the first wicket in nine overs. While Rohit played aggressor, scoring 64 off 34 before dragging one back onto his stumps, Kohli sedately settled for the accumulative role.

He maintained the same role until the end of the innings, holding up one end while Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya wrecked havoc at the other. Kohli finished with his third unbeaten fifty-plus score of the series, a 52-ball 80, as India posted 224 for 2 and went on to win the match by 36 runs, thereby clinching the series. Kohli then went on to stick with the opening slot going into the IPL, amassing a total of 405 runs at an average of 28.93.

Given the way he has been pacing his innings in T20 cricket in the recent past, one thing is quite evident. Virat Kohli could turn out to be the ideal accumulator for India in the T20 World Cup. Plus, having the experienced, enigmatic Indian skipper in the middle order will enable the Indian team to partner Rohit with a power-hitting batter. Someone like Ishan Kishan or Rishabh Pant playing enforcer in the powerplay, followed by a free-flowing stroke-player at no.3 will do wonders for the run rate.

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New Zealand: Kane Williamson

If there ever was a sight that could best resemble an antidote to a crisis situation, it would be that of Kane Williamson batting. With the likes of the West Indies, England and India being likely favorites for the title, it is easy for people to forget about New Zealand. Despite coming off a series defeat to Bangladesh, the Kiwis have lined up a very balanced squad for the T20 World Cup.

The list is stacked with all-rounders, power-hitters, leg-spinners and two very experienced top-order batters in Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson. While the former will get to play freely, Williamson might be seen playing a crucial yet familiar role throughout the campaign.

Williamson played 11 matches for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2020, which was played entirely in the UAE. His returns were 317 runs at an average of 45.3 and a strike rate of 133.8. Out of the 237 balls he faced, 28.3 percent of them were dots, and he remained unbeaten on four occasions. The last of those unbeaten knocks was the standout of the lot.

Walking in at 43 for 2 just after the powerplay, Williamson anchored a tricky run chase of 132 against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Eliminator. He finished with 50 off 44 and with the help of 24* from Jason Holder, helped his side reach home. He followed it up with a knock of 67 off 45 balls against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the second Qualifier. But he was dismissed with his side requiring 43 off 19 balls.

Other than the IPL, Williamson has played 10 T20Is in the UAE over the last couple of years, all against Pakistan. He played five matches last year, scoring 218 runs at an average of 54.5 and a strike rate of 155.7. His returns this year are polar opposites - 82 runs in a five-match series, with 53 of those coming in one game.

This goes to show that despite going through a rough patch, Williamson has had a good hang of the playing conditions. Hopefully, we will see him step up in the T20 World Cup.

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Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez

Mohammad Hafeez, who made his international debut 18 years ago, has time and again put his best effort to adapt to the dynamicity of the sport. Hafeez has gone through a dry run since the T20I series in England last year, where he accumulated 155 runs at a strike rate of 176.1. Since then, batting at no.3 and 4, he has managed 252 runs in 11 innings. His strike rate has dipped to 128.6, and 35.2 percent of the deliveries he has faced have been dots.

As for T20 league cricket, he did get off to a fantastic start in the PSL earlier this year. Hafeez had 181 runs in four matches, getting dismissed just once. But in the remaining six matches, all of which took place almost four months later owing to the aggravation of the COVID-19 situation in Pakistan, he only managed 90 runs at a strike rate of under 100 in the UAE.

That inflated his dot ball percentage in the tournament from 25.2 in the first half to 35.2 in the entire PSL. His returns for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) this year were not as promising either. Having been used as a floater throughout the tournament, he scored 179 runs in seven matches at a strike rate of 102.3.

But there's one thing that looks encouraging from his T20I record in the UAE since 2016. Out of the eight times he has batted, Hafeez remained not out four times, with Pakistan achieving victory in all of them. This goes on to show that despite the mediocre stats, Hafeez can turn out to be a crucial member of the side in crunch situations. He can play those knocks that might not seem too attractive on paper, but tend to be pivotal given the situation of the match.

His presence up the order would encourage the middle-order batters to play their shots throughout the innings. It certainly would not be ideal to have both Hafeez and Shoaib Malik in the playing XI, but if Pakistan were to pick one senior member out of the two for the job, the former needs to be the first choice.

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South Africa: David Miller

Despite multiple series wins in the recent past, South Africa will not start as favorites to lift the T20 World Cup crown. This has mainly got to do with the Proteas' relatively inexperienced squad. David Miller is the most experienced among the lot, with 90 T20I appearances under his belt. South Africa have played a total of 18 T20Is this year, winning 11 out of them and losing 7.

The Proteas won't be having the services of AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis in the World Cup. So, instead of burdening the sheet anchor task on a relatively inexperienced player, they might want David Miller to perform the role. The southpaw has batted mostly at no.5 or 6 for South Africa in T20Is over the years. He has amassed a total of 1,346 runs in 62 instances of batting down the order.

He hasn’t had the best time in the T20 leagues that he played in the recent past, other than an odd good knock or two. In 2021, while first playing in the PSL and then in the IPL, he managed 225 runs in 10 matches at an average of 32.1.

His record against spin in the sub-continent is considerably formidable in some ways as well. Having only been dismissed on five occasions in 18 innings by spinners, Miller has 184 runs at an average of 36.8. He has done so at a strike rate of 117.66 against spinners in the sub-continent.

While this might depict Miller taking a very cautious approach against spinners, it also provides a sense of reliance on the other batsmen. Plus, as mentioned before, with the lack of experience in the South African top order, the Proteas would certainly benefit in having an experienced campaigner playing the sheet-anchor role.

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West Indies: Lendl Simmons

West Indies are a team which boasts an arsenal of ball-bludgeoning stalwarts. So it's quite ironic that it took a sheet anchor for them to make it past the final hurdle of T20 World Cup glory on two occasions. Marlon Samuels' presence in the 2012 and 2016 finals turned out to be an elixir for the Men in Maroon.

First on a low-scoring pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo in 2012, Samuels played the sheet-anchor role to perfection. He took 56 balls to score 78, which helped the West Indies triumph over Sri Lanka by 36 runs.

Four years later, chasing 156 against England at the Eden Gardens, West Indies slumped to 11 for 3. Samuels took control of the situation once again, scoring an unbeaten 85 off 66 balls. Despite Samuels' commendable effort, West Indies still needed 19 off the last over to lift the trophy. But then, of course, Carlos Brathwaite cleared the boundary four times in a row, and in the process, immortalized his name in T20 World Cup history.

Lendl Simmons, who has been playing international cricket since 2006, has seen and experienced the growth of T20 cricket since its inception. He has been unable to prosper in Tests, but he has been an underrated gem in the shortest format.

Having played for a total of 16 T20 franchises, Simmons has accumulated a total of 7,522 runs in 279 innings at an average of 29.96. He has done so while mostly batting across the top four. Simmons also played a major role in helping West Indies reach the final of the 2016 T20 World Cup.

Having missed out on the tournament initially due to a back injury, Simmons was called up as a replacement for the injured Andre Fletcher hours before their semi-final clash against hosts India. Simmons slashed and edged his way to an unbeaten 81 off 52, as Russell finished things off with a six in the last over.

Although he can give the ball a good whack, Lendl Simmons is a batsman who provides a sense of assurance. In the 48 times that he has batted in T20Is between overs six and 15, Simmons has a total of 837 runs at an average of 26.2 and a strike rate of 125.5.

In the last couple of years, Simmons has accumulated 518 runs in 17 innings, although his dot ball percentage during this time-period – 47.1 – is a minute cause of concern. Then again, on slow decks, one would ideally want a batter to stay in the middle for as long as possible, but Simmons can do even better if he improves on that front by rotating the strike at the very least.