World Cup 2023: Dinesh Karthik picks these two all-rounders as contenders for Player of the Series

Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has picked his choice of players as top contenders for the Player of the Series for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

The 38-year-old picked India vice-captain Hardik Pandya and Australian’s Glenn Maxwell during an interaction session via #AskDK on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday, September 28. The two flamboyant cricketers are known for their match-winning performances with the ability to change the game via their efforts in all three departments of the game.

An X user questioned:

“According to you who will be your player of the series WC23?”

The cricketer-turned-commentator replied on the micro-blogging website:

“Hardik Pandya and Glenn Maxwell”

Maxwell, who made his comeback for Australia in the third ODI against India, made a quick impact on his return after recovering from an ankle injury that he sustained in November last year.

The right-handed flopped with the bat, scoring just five runs off seven balls, but made up for it with his exploits with the ball. The off-spinner spun a web for India players, finishing with career-best figures of 4/40, which included the wickets of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer.

Since 2022, he has scored 265 runs in 12 innings, including one half-century. He has also scalped 13 wickets in as many games at an economy rate of 4.76.

The spin all-rounder will come into play in sub-continent conditions throughout the World Cup.

Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, was last seen in action during the Asia Cup 2023. The middle-order batter delivered under pressure against arch-rivals Pakistan in the group-stage match, scoring 87 runs off 90 balls. The medium pacer also finished with six wickets in five games.

Since 2022, Pandya has scored 472 runs in 14 innings at an average of 33.71, including four half-centuries. With the ball, he has scalped 22 wickets in 19 ODIs at an economy rate of 5.08.

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How Glenn Maxwell and Hardik Pandya have fared in ODI World Cups so far?

Glenn Maxwell has played two ODI World Cups for Australia. In 2015, the explosive batter amassed 324 runs in eight matches at an average of 64.80, including one century and two fifties. The off-spinner also scalped six wickets in eight games. Australia went on to win the 2015 edition of the tournament.

In 2019, Maxwell scored 177 runs in 10 games at a below-par average of 22.13. He didn’t bowl in the tournament. Australia crashed out after the semi-finals.

Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, has played only during the 2019 World Cup. The all-rounder scored 226 runs in nine ODIs at an average of 32.29. He also scalped 10 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of 5.66. India lost to New Zealand in the semi-finals.