Top 3 performances from Global Canada T20, 2018 

Curtains went down on the Global Canada T20 finally and it marked a successful return of high-voltage cricket to the Canadian soil.

The primary motive Cricket Canada had for organizing this tournament was to draw the Canadian crowd back to the cricket field and it was a resounding success. The participation of stars such as Steve Smith, David Warner, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and David Miller ensured global viewership too and the crowd (and the viewers alike) was treated to some mouthwatering clashes.

The tournament also showcased some future talents of West Indies cricket and the CWI B team, though finished second best, won more hearts with their passion and all-round brilliance.

Here we will look at some of the best individual performances of the tournament. We decided to choose two batsmen because of their important contributions in high-pressure chases and the lone bowler was chosen for his outstanding piece of fast bowling on a pitch that was not too conducive for pace bowling.

#1 Sherfane Rutherford (134* off 66 balls, 11x 4, 10x6)

What a masterful display of batting from Sherfane Rutherford to register the first century of #GT20Canada #VKvCWI #6sInThe6ix pic.twitter.com/mKztAkFixG

— GT20 Canada (@GT20Canada) July 12, 2018

Well, this one will not only stay on top of our list but also on top of viewers' memory for a long time. Chasing a mammoth target of 216, the CWI B was in the doldrums with the score reading 11/3 in the third over. In came the 19-year old lefty from Guyana and started to show his class immediately. First, he forged a 130- run partnership with Nicholas Pooran to bring his team back into the match and took it all upon his young shoulders, after Pooran was dismissed in the 15th over.

There was no respite for the experienced bowlers of the Vancouver Knights (Tim Southee, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Russell and Fawad Ahmed) as they were taken to the cleaners with considerable ease. His innings was even more special as it helped his team to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Rutherford was also the best bowler on show for the CWI B that day as he had impressive figures of 4-0-25-2, on a match where more than 400 runs were scored in 40 overs.

#2 Fidel Edwards (4-1-8-2)

If Rutherford produced the best batting performance of the tournament, it was the turn of his experienced countryman, Fidel Edwards, to deliver arguably the best individual bowling performance of the tournament.

Edwards was playing any T20 cricket after a gap of a year but immediately troubled a batsman of the calibre of Steve Smith with his serious pace and excruciating bounce. He ended the misery of Smith on the fourth ball of his opening over and started with a wicket-maiden.

His incredible spell had 19 dot balls and bagged the prized wickets of Smith and Kieron Pollard. It was a high-quality exhibition of pace bowling indeed as he was fast, furious and accurate and most batsmen failed to negotiate that.

#3 Fabian Allen (75* off 30 balls)

Fabian Allen

Well, the target of 156 was not too big by T20 standards but the Royals had a quality bowling attack with 3 experienced left-armers (Mohammad Irfan, Sohail Tanveer, and Wayne Parnell) in their ranks. Soon, the inexperienced CWI B batters found them too hot to handle and the young team was loitering at 66-6 inside the initial 10 overs. Everyone thought the match was done and dusted in favor of the Royals but Fabian Allen, the 23-year-old Jamaican, had other ideas.

Coming out to bat at number 8 and 90 needed off 61 balls, Allen started blazing right from the word go. He treated Afridi with utter disdain, plundered him for one four and 3 back-to-back sixes in one over and seized the momentum in favor of his team. His power hitting and clever shielding of the tail-enders were treats to watch.