Top 5 Knocks Of The ICC Cricket WC Through Half Way Stage Of The Tournament

We have reached the half way point of what has been an exhilarating tournament so far. Let us look back at some of the best batting performances in worldcup 2019.

Jason Roy’s 153 (121) vs Bangladesh-

On a green top in Cardiff and in nippy conditions, Jason Roy shone as he dispatched the Bangladesh bowlers to all parts. He was careful early on against the spin of Shakib but tore into the pacers. He rode his luck initially and drove anything overpitched with disdain. He mixed aggression with intricacy, his trademark straight sixers were interspersed with some paddles and sweeps. He picked length early and used timing to great effect. His comical collision with the umpire while celebrating his century was perhaps the only mistake he did throughout his stay. He took a special liking to Shakib, his footwork to the spinners was exceptional. He smashed three consecutive sixes off Mehidy Hasan but edged the next ball after getting England off to a swashbuckling start.

Aaron Finch’s 153 (132) vs Sri Lanka-

From the very first ball of this innings, Aaron Finch displayed intent. His balance made simple nudges look like extravagant drives. He did not play a single lofted shot until he reached his fifty. As wickets kept falling at the other end, he had to decelerate but found his groove with some pulls and sweeps. A lofted cover drive brought up his century. He stayed at the backfoot and muscled every bad ball to the fence. A flick off Malinga brought up his 150. This innings was his highest score in World Cups.

Rohit Sharma’s 140 (113) vs Pakistan-

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The Hitman’s splendid knock was a testament to his huge talent. When he bats, it always looks like he has a second more than other batsmen. He punished width with brute force and smart manipulation of the gaps. He looked in ominous touch, his trademark short-arm heave, the ‘Nataraja’ shot and the late cuts were visible in full glory. Post his hundred, the Pakistani spinners were getting some turn but this did not trouble Rohit one bit as he swept and used his feet. Just when he looked like he would motor along to fourth ODI double hundred, he mistimed a scoop off Hasan Ali and walked off to thunderous applause.

Shakib Al Hasan’s 124* (99) vs West Indies-

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Chasing 322, Bangladesh needed something special from Shakib’s bat and he delivered. His use of the feet to the pacers was a daring but calculated move. He kept things very simple and used his glorious perfectly timed cuts to punish any width. He barely moved his feet, using only his hands and the awareness of where the gaps were in the field. Even his edges were well placed as the Windies bowlers were clueless. His wrists were like a torpedo, guiding the ball to his preferred direction. His unhurried but effective approach allowed Bangladesh to complete the second successful run-chase in World Cups with a whopping 9 overs to spare.

Eoin Morgan’s 148 (71) vs Afghanistan-

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He’s a very nice bloke to talk to, always smiling and grinning. But when it comes to batting, Morgan is anything but nice. He has patented his own shots, one would call him unorthodox but he always follows the textbook for big hitting- clear the front leg and keep your head still. Since being handed the captaincy after the 2015 World Cup nightmare, England have been fearless, confident and effortlessly brutal. They have made 350 the ideal first innings score for ODIs and believe that any total can be chased. Morgan’s brutal onslaught was a frightening reminder of his talents and what his team can do to you. Slower ball? I’ll hit it harder. Short ball? I’ll hoick it to the leg side for six. Good length? I’ll come down the pitch and hit it over the bowler’s head. A turning ball? I’ll get down on one knee and hit it over long off. One of the best spinners in the world? No problem. Back injury? No signs. Morgan had an answer to everything hurled at him and hit 17 sixes, a World Cup record. A truly breath-taking display of power hitting.

These are some of the best batting performances in worldcup 2019.

Other notable mentions :-

Rohit Sharma’s 122 vs South Africa

Shikhar Dhawan’s 117 vs Australia

David Warner’s 107 vs Pakistan

Joe Root’s 100* vs West Indies

Liton Das’s 94 vs West Indies

Dimuth Karunaratne’s 97 vs Australia

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Originally published at Sporcial.