Cricketers of the Week – January 29th to February 4th

It was an extremely interesting week in world cricket and one that was filled with superlative performances. India won the T20I series against England by the skin of their teeth thanks to their improbable victory in the second T20 match.

Australia, however, tasted defeat against their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in the absence of their de facto leader Steve Smith. The Proteas avenged their T20 series loss to Sri Lanka by steamrolling the visitors in the first three ODIs.

And as always selecting five players was a tough job, but it helps to be objective sometimes and nothing counts more in terms of objectivity than your contribution to the team’s win. Here are the top five cricketers of the week.

#1 Lokesh Rahul

Lokesh Rahul gave India a fighting chance in the second T20I after being inserted into bat by England. At Nagpur, India weren’t getting any momentum after losing skipper Virat Kohli for a quick 21. It was Rahul who showed fine form to score a 47-ball 71 at a strike-rate of 151 with six fours and two sixes.

He did this while wickets were falling at the other end. Rahul fell on 125 for 4 in the 18^th over after which India could manage just 19 more runs, an abysmal run-rate for the final overs. India’s second highest score was Manish Pandey’s 30 off 26 balls. Rahul’s 71 helped India post 144 which they defended thanks to Bumrah and Ashish Nehra’s efforts.

#2 Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah showed his prowess at the death once again

India lost the first T20I against England and were primed to lose the second too. England restricted India to just 144 in their 20 overs after asking the latter to bat. At one point, England were cruising at 117 for 3 in the 17^th over with Ben Stokes and Joe Root well-settled. That was until Jasprite Bumrah came in.

Bumrah literally tied the English batsmen down and bowled one of the most phenomenal final overs in T20I. The Indian quickie had previously bowled a sensational 18^th over giving away just three runs despite bowling three balls to one of cricket’s most dangerous batsmen, Jos Buttler.

Eventually, Bumrah had to defend 7 runs in the final over. With a little luck that got him Root’s wicket in the first delivery, Bumrah was able to pull off the job. He gave away just a single and a bye in the next five balls whilst also getting Buttler clean bowled. India won the match by 5 runs in what will remain one of the heists of the year.

#3 Yuzvendra Chahal

Chahal produced a spell for the ages against England

If Rahul and Bumrah helped keep the series afloat by pulling off a heist in the second T20I, Chahal helped India raze England in the third T20I at Bangalore. The chess player bowling with a new ball picked up opener Sam Billings to give India a rousing start after the batsmen gave the bowlers a decent chance scoring 202. Chahal came back in the second spell to wreak havoc, picking up the two settled batsmen Eoin Morgan and Joe Root off back to back deliveries.

He then got Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Chris Jordan in the same over to virtually end the chase. Chahal’s figures of 6-25 in 4 overs are the third best bowling figures by a bowler in T20I and the best ever by an Indian. His second spell ensured England capitulated in spectacular fashion, losing 8 wickets in the span of 8 runs.

#4 Marcus Stoinis

Stoinis showed he is one to really reckon with

Stoinis slammed what would definitely be one of the ODI centuries of the year as he took Australia to the fringes of an improbable victory. The 27-year old had a great day with the ball as well, returning with figures of 3-49 in his 10 overs, the pick of all bowlers in an attack that included Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, James Faulkner and Pat Cummins. But he was far from being done.

Walking in at a difficult situation at 54 for 5 chasing 287, Stoinis unleashed a flurry of big shots. He remained unbeaten on 146 off just 117 balls in an innings that included 9 fours and 11 sixes. Stoinis took Australia from 67 for 6 to 148 for 7 adding 81 with Faulkner of which the latter scored 25. He then added 48 with Cummins and 30 with Starc. The big partnership though came for the tenth wicket.

Stoinis added a whopping 54 runs for the 10^th wicket with Hazlewood, who scored nothing. These 54 came off just 4 overs. New Zealand kept their nerve and Kane Williamson’s brilliant fielding ended the resistance. New Zealand won by a very narrow margin of just 6 runs.

#5 David Miller

Miller was magnificent against the Lankans

Miller is known for his clean, big-hitting and he showed that against Sri Lanka letting himself loose at Kingsmead, Durban in the second ODI between the two teams, scoring a 98-ball 117. Walking in at 108 for 4, Miller added 117 with Faf du Plessis, who made a brilliant 105. After the latter’s departure, Miller added another 60 with Chris Morris in just 6.4 overs, eventually pushing South Africa to 307.

South Africa won by a massive 121 runs and the crowds had a lot of entertainment thanks to Miller’s three fours and six sixes. The southpaw remained unbeaten, an icing on the cake, as far as South African fans were concerned.