RedwoodOriginal
Test Debutant
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2018
- Runs
- 15,893
- Post of the Week
- 4
The wrestling fan in me always gives alot of importance to match quality. And despite all the issues this tournament had, it also had alot of really amazing matches which is not something you always see in most ICC tournaments. Keep in mind that this list is very subjective. There is no single best match. Everyone likes what they like. I'm just interested to see what matches other people here enjoyed. Naturally, me being a Pakistani fan means there are no Pakistan matches here. I have also taken the time to write very descriptive summaries of my favorite matches (because I felt like it) which all of you can totally skip and don't have to read.
Honorable Mentions: South Africa v England, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
5. West Indies v South Africa - (Super 8’s) - Bridgetown, Barbados
Two very good sides met in this do-or-die Super 8’s encounter in Barbados, with a spot in the semi-finals at stake. Many people were hoping this was where South Africa would show their true colors, but Markram’s side did the opposite, coming out with a plan in mind to strangle West Indies with spin. It paid off, with the South African spinners returning figures of 5-79 in 12 overs, in an innings that included 57 dot balls, and restricting West Indies to a very chaseable 135—-which got reduced to 124 because of the rain. South Africa came out all guns blazing, making use of the wet outfield to put the West Indies spinners to the sword early on. But quick wickets put them in an all too familiar situation. Rovman Powell, much to the surprise of everyone, brought on Roston Chase much too late having been discouraged by the performance of his spinners earlier in the innings. South Africa followed with a few more displays of harakiri as Alzarri Joseph started zeroing in. But it was too little too late as Marco Jansen held his nerve to take South Africa over the finish line and into the semi-finals.
4. Nepal v South Africa - (Group D) - Arnos Vale, St. Vincent & Grenadines
A great low-scoring thriller, the likes of which we don’t see enough of in T20s these days. Nepal’s spinners strangled South Africa on in very spin-friendly pitch Arnos Vale to a meager 115-7. When Nepal came out to bat, all signs seemed to point towards a remarkable upset with Rabada putting down a sitter in the first over and the Nepalese batters showing good intent against one of the best bowling attacks in the tournament. Tabraiz Shamsi pulled South Africa back into the game though and once South Africa started applying the squeeze, Nepal started to crack under the pressure. Ultimately, it came down to 8 off the final over and despite getting hit for a boundary on the third Baartman just about managed to hold his nerve as South Africa held on to win a low-scoring thriller by a run.
3. Bangladesh v Afghanistan - (Super 8’s) - Arnos Vale, St. Vincent & Grenadines
Afghanistan’s World Cup campaign had already exceeded all expectations coming into their do-or-die encounter against Bangladesh in rainy Arnos Vale, on a highly sluggish surface. The multiple games within a game made this match one of the most exciting ones in the tournament. Australia, Bangladesh and Afghanistan all had legitimate chances of qualifying. Bangladesh came out with the ball with alot of fire and restricted Afghanistan to 115-6. But the fact that they had to chase it down in 12.3 overs ensured Afghanistan were always in the game if they kept taking wickets and kept the RR down. The game ebbed and flowed with Liton Das holding Bangladesh’s innings together with a fantastic knock that mixed intent with pragmatism. You could cut the tension with a knife as each misfield from the Afghan fielders drew the ire of Rashid Khan. Despite the constant rain, Afghanistan kept themselves in the game with regular wickets. In the end it was all about proving a point for Bangladesh as 12.3 overs had passed but Naveen-ul-Haq’s brilliance in the penultimate over ensured even that would not be possible as he landed the knockout blow to ensure that Afghanistan sealed a historic, maiden semi-final berth.
2. India v South Africa - (The Final) - Bridgetown, Barbados
Clinical and unbeaten India met gritty and unbeaten South Africa in the final. With both teams’ inability to get the job done in previous ICC knockouts being a major talking point. Who was going to blink first? South Africa started off brilliantly snaring Rohit, Pant and SKY within the powerplay. But Kohli and Axar’s partnership of high contrast ensured that India were in the game with a decent total very much achievable. South Africa let the game slip in the middle overs and with wickets in hand, Kohli put Jansen and Rabada to the sword with Shivam Dube providing a late flourish to take India to 176-7. A score that still did not seem enough on what was a very good wicket for batting. South Africa started off poorly, losing Hendricks and Markram in quick succession. But Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs put on a brilliant half century stand taking the Indian spinners down with surgical efficiency. Both threw their wickets away in moronic fashion but that ensured that the stage was set for Heinrich Klaasen to launch a stunning assault on India’s spinners, who had largely gone unchecked all tournament. And he did just that, laying into Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. The equation came down to 30 off 30. But unluckily for South Africa, Jasprit Bumrah still had two overs remaining. Bumrah’s next over went for 4 runs and suddenly the squeeze was on. Unlike the South African bowlers, the Indian pacers had made use of the slowness of the wicket much better, bowling cutters and taking the pace off the ball constantly. One such bowler who had been trying and failing to bowl cutters on the wide line was Hardik Panyda, who finally executed one to perfection as Klaasen edged one straight into the hands of Rishabh Pant. Now South Africa were well and truly back in familiar territory. Bumrah came back to bowl an absolutely perfect over as he managed to sneak one through Marco Jansen’s bat and pads. With 16 needed off 10, David Miller was South Africa’s last hope. Pandya missed his length and bowled a full toss that Miller smashed down to long-off, only for Suryakumar Yadav to take an absolute blinder. And just like that South Africa’s new generation had failed to put their old generation’s demons to rest, as India basked in the ecstasy of their fairy tail ending…11 years after winning their last ICC trophy.
1. Afghanistan v Australia - (Super 8’s) - Arnos Vale, St. Vincent & Grenadines
This match already had a certain buzz around it considering the last time these two sides met, we were treated to arguably one of the greatest games of cricket ever played. Right off the bat, Australia looked sloppy in the field and Afghanistan made full use of playing pragmatic, risk-free cricket with the aim of getting Afghanistan to a competitive total, rather than a massive one. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran raised their third century stand of the tournament but Cummin’s second hattrick in two games ensured that Afghanistan couldn’t breach 150. Many expected the Afghan spinners to be a handful but it was the Afghan seamers who came out and landed the early blows, with Nabi reaping the rewards of the pressure built to get Warner on the first ball of his over, after Naveen-ul-Haq had grabbed the two crucial scalps of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. At 32-3 Australia seemed to be in deep trouble until a familiar face came out and started playing a very familiar knock. Glenn Maxwell brought out the greatest hits reverse sweeping Kharkote over third man and clobbering Rashid over long on. Looking lost for answers, a sense of deja vu was beginning to emerge for Afghanistan before Rashid brought on Gulbadin Naib, who had not even bowled in the tournament upto that point. He struck immediately though with the wicket of Marcus Stoinis and followed that by trapping Tim David in his next over to bring Afghanistan back, even as Maxwell seemingly continued on his merry way hitting atleast a boundary an over. But the scoring rate was climbing and the fall of wickets meant that Maxwell was fighting a lone battle. Finally in the 15th over, Maxwell cut a fairly innocuous looking delivery by Naib to backward point, where Noor Ahmed took a stunning catch. And now Afghanistan were finally in sight of history. Rashid and the Afghan pacers came back to put a stranglehold on the Australian lower order and went 4-19 in 4.2 after Maxwell’s dismissal to etch Afghanistan’s name in history and complete a famous win over the perennial final boss(es) of international cricket.
Honorable Mentions: South Africa v England, Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
5. West Indies v South Africa - (Super 8’s) - Bridgetown, Barbados
Two very good sides met in this do-or-die Super 8’s encounter in Barbados, with a spot in the semi-finals at stake. Many people were hoping this was where South Africa would show their true colors, but Markram’s side did the opposite, coming out with a plan in mind to strangle West Indies with spin. It paid off, with the South African spinners returning figures of 5-79 in 12 overs, in an innings that included 57 dot balls, and restricting West Indies to a very chaseable 135—-which got reduced to 124 because of the rain. South Africa came out all guns blazing, making use of the wet outfield to put the West Indies spinners to the sword early on. But quick wickets put them in an all too familiar situation. Rovman Powell, much to the surprise of everyone, brought on Roston Chase much too late having been discouraged by the performance of his spinners earlier in the innings. South Africa followed with a few more displays of harakiri as Alzarri Joseph started zeroing in. But it was too little too late as Marco Jansen held his nerve to take South Africa over the finish line and into the semi-finals.
4. Nepal v South Africa - (Group D) - Arnos Vale, St. Vincent & Grenadines
A great low-scoring thriller, the likes of which we don’t see enough of in T20s these days. Nepal’s spinners strangled South Africa on in very spin-friendly pitch Arnos Vale to a meager 115-7. When Nepal came out to bat, all signs seemed to point towards a remarkable upset with Rabada putting down a sitter in the first over and the Nepalese batters showing good intent against one of the best bowling attacks in the tournament. Tabraiz Shamsi pulled South Africa back into the game though and once South Africa started applying the squeeze, Nepal started to crack under the pressure. Ultimately, it came down to 8 off the final over and despite getting hit for a boundary on the third Baartman just about managed to hold his nerve as South Africa held on to win a low-scoring thriller by a run.
3. Bangladesh v Afghanistan - (Super 8’s) - Arnos Vale, St. Vincent & Grenadines
Afghanistan’s World Cup campaign had already exceeded all expectations coming into their do-or-die encounter against Bangladesh in rainy Arnos Vale, on a highly sluggish surface. The multiple games within a game made this match one of the most exciting ones in the tournament. Australia, Bangladesh and Afghanistan all had legitimate chances of qualifying. Bangladesh came out with the ball with alot of fire and restricted Afghanistan to 115-6. But the fact that they had to chase it down in 12.3 overs ensured Afghanistan were always in the game if they kept taking wickets and kept the RR down. The game ebbed and flowed with Liton Das holding Bangladesh’s innings together with a fantastic knock that mixed intent with pragmatism. You could cut the tension with a knife as each misfield from the Afghan fielders drew the ire of Rashid Khan. Despite the constant rain, Afghanistan kept themselves in the game with regular wickets. In the end it was all about proving a point for Bangladesh as 12.3 overs had passed but Naveen-ul-Haq’s brilliance in the penultimate over ensured even that would not be possible as he landed the knockout blow to ensure that Afghanistan sealed a historic, maiden semi-final berth.
2. India v South Africa - (The Final) - Bridgetown, Barbados
Clinical and unbeaten India met gritty and unbeaten South Africa in the final. With both teams’ inability to get the job done in previous ICC knockouts being a major talking point. Who was going to blink first? South Africa started off brilliantly snaring Rohit, Pant and SKY within the powerplay. But Kohli and Axar’s partnership of high contrast ensured that India were in the game with a decent total very much achievable. South Africa let the game slip in the middle overs and with wickets in hand, Kohli put Jansen and Rabada to the sword with Shivam Dube providing a late flourish to take India to 176-7. A score that still did not seem enough on what was a very good wicket for batting. South Africa started off poorly, losing Hendricks and Markram in quick succession. But Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs put on a brilliant half century stand taking the Indian spinners down with surgical efficiency. Both threw their wickets away in moronic fashion but that ensured that the stage was set for Heinrich Klaasen to launch a stunning assault on India’s spinners, who had largely gone unchecked all tournament. And he did just that, laying into Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. The equation came down to 30 off 30. But unluckily for South Africa, Jasprit Bumrah still had two overs remaining. Bumrah’s next over went for 4 runs and suddenly the squeeze was on. Unlike the South African bowlers, the Indian pacers had made use of the slowness of the wicket much better, bowling cutters and taking the pace off the ball constantly. One such bowler who had been trying and failing to bowl cutters on the wide line was Hardik Panyda, who finally executed one to perfection as Klaasen edged one straight into the hands of Rishabh Pant. Now South Africa were well and truly back in familiar territory. Bumrah came back to bowl an absolutely perfect over as he managed to sneak one through Marco Jansen’s bat and pads. With 16 needed off 10, David Miller was South Africa’s last hope. Pandya missed his length and bowled a full toss that Miller smashed down to long-off, only for Suryakumar Yadav to take an absolute blinder. And just like that South Africa’s new generation had failed to put their old generation’s demons to rest, as India basked in the ecstasy of their fairy tail ending…11 years after winning their last ICC trophy.
1. Afghanistan v Australia - (Super 8’s) - Arnos Vale, St. Vincent & Grenadines
This match already had a certain buzz around it considering the last time these two sides met, we were treated to arguably one of the greatest games of cricket ever played. Right off the bat, Australia looked sloppy in the field and Afghanistan made full use of playing pragmatic, risk-free cricket with the aim of getting Afghanistan to a competitive total, rather than a massive one. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran raised their third century stand of the tournament but Cummin’s second hattrick in two games ensured that Afghanistan couldn’t breach 150. Many expected the Afghan spinners to be a handful but it was the Afghan seamers who came out and landed the early blows, with Nabi reaping the rewards of the pressure built to get Warner on the first ball of his over, after Naveen-ul-Haq had grabbed the two crucial scalps of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh. At 32-3 Australia seemed to be in deep trouble until a familiar face came out and started playing a very familiar knock. Glenn Maxwell brought out the greatest hits reverse sweeping Kharkote over third man and clobbering Rashid over long on. Looking lost for answers, a sense of deja vu was beginning to emerge for Afghanistan before Rashid brought on Gulbadin Naib, who had not even bowled in the tournament upto that point. He struck immediately though with the wicket of Marcus Stoinis and followed that by trapping Tim David in his next over to bring Afghanistan back, even as Maxwell seemingly continued on his merry way hitting atleast a boundary an over. But the scoring rate was climbing and the fall of wickets meant that Maxwell was fighting a lone battle. Finally in the 15th over, Maxwell cut a fairly innocuous looking delivery by Naib to backward point, where Noor Ahmed took a stunning catch. And now Afghanistan were finally in sight of history. Rashid and the Afghan pacers came back to put a stranglehold on the Australian lower order and went 4-19 in 4.2 after Maxwell’s dismissal to etch Afghanistan’s name in history and complete a famous win over the perennial final boss(es) of international cricket.
For us , USA fans that was an absolute corker of a game ! The Ind-Pak game was good as well.
