Cricketers of the Week – February 12th to February 18th

The highlight of this week’s cricket was the way the Indian eves put in some sterling performances in the World Cup qualifiers. Along with the World Cup Qualifiers at Colombo, there were also two T20Is, one of them a nail-biting thriller.

Australia fielded a relatively depleted side and lost the first T20I against Sri Lanka at the MCG while South Africa thrashed an in-form New Zealand side in their own den at Auckland in the lone T20I between the two teams.

Let us take a look at the top 5 cricketers of the week, whose performances really lit up the scene.

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Mithali Raj

The skipper of the Indian Women’s team has been on a roll and produced two dashing performances with the bat, first against South Africa and then against Bangladesh. Against Bangladesh in Colombo in the Super Sixes of the qualifiers, Mithali scored an unbeaten 73* off just 87 balls as the Indian Women’s team chased down 158 in just 33.3 overs after Bangladesh managed only 155 in their allotted 50 overs.

A couple of days before prior to that innings, Raj hit an 85-ball 64 to push India to 205 against South Africa, who were all out for 156. Raj’s Player of the Match performance was complemented by Shikha Pandey, who produced a fine bowling display, with figures of 4-34 in 9.4 overs.

Extra Cover: ICC Women's World Cup 2017: India, South Africa record comfortable wins to book places in World Cup 2017

Raj is currently the highest run-getter in the tournament with 207 runs in 3 innings, having been dismissed just once and scoring a half-century in each of those innings.

Mansi Joshi was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 3-25 in her 10 overs.

Asela Gunaratne

Gunaratne smashed a half-century to help the Lankans to victory

Sri Lanka have found a new batting star in Asela Gunaratne, who continued his fine form from the matches against South Africa, in the game with Australia. The 31-year old smacked a nerveless 37-ball 52 to help Sri Lanka chase down a target of 169 in the first T20I between the two teams at the MCG.

Extra Cover: Sri Lanka vs Australia 2017: 2nd T20, 5 Talking Points

Gunaratne, who hit seven fours in his innings, added 60 runs for the fourth wicket with Milinda Siriwardana and resurrected the chase. By the time he departed, Sri Lanka needed just 18 off 17 balls and they huffed and puffed to make it off the final ball of the match.

Nevertheless, Gunaratna’s innings didn’t go in vain and he was awarded the Player of the Match trophy too.

Imran Tahir

Tahir picked up five wickets and was awarded the Man of the Match

One of the best bowlers in the shortest format of the game in world cricket, the South African leg-spinner registered a five-wicket haul as he bamboozled New Zealand to help South Africa to a big win. Batting first at Auckland, South Africa posted a humongous total of 185 in their 20 overs.

Extra Cover: South Africa vs New Zealand 2017: 1st T20, 5 talking points

When New Zealand came to bat, Tahir cleaned up the middle order to make sure there is no resistance, whatsoever, registering figures of 3.5-0-24-5 and picking up Player of the Match for his efforts. He was ably complemented by Andile Phehlukwayo, who bowled brilliantly for his figures of 3-19 in 3 overs picking up the big wicket of Kane Williamson.

Tahir also became the second quickest bowler to 50 wickets in T20I, taking them in 31 games, second only to Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis.

Hashim Amla

Amla’s 62 helped the Proteas to an excellent score

Amla smashed a 43-ball 62 at the top of the innings in the first T20I of the series against New Zealand at Auckland. He added 87 for the second wicket with skipper Faf du Plessis, who scored a 25-ball 36.

The South African batsman’s innings helped his team post an excellent score of 185 which was more than enough for South Africa to thrash New Zealand by 78 runs, a huge margin in a T20 game. Amla, who scored at a strike-rate of 144.18, hit 9 fours and a six during his innings and was dismissed in the 14^th over.

This was the 33-year old Amla’s sixth T20I half-century.

Trent Boult

Boult’s incredible spell went in vain

Boult produced a phenomenal bowling performance in a losing cause for New Zealand at Auckland against South Africa. South Africa scored 185 in their 20 overs at 9.25. It is fascinating that Boult’s figures read 4-0-8-2, one of those wickets picked up in the 19^th over.

The next lowest economy rate in the match on either side was Tahir’s 6.26. Boult’s spell ensured South Africa did not cross 200 in their innings having picked up the danger man Quinton de Kock in the third over of the match.

The impressive spell went to waste as New Zealand lost by a massive margin of 78 runs, largely because of the failure of the batsman.