The 2011 world cup is going to be the last one for many great cricketers. Let’s look at their successes in the past world cups and what can be expected from them in this one.
Murali, the most successful bowler in cricket history, tops the list. He has already retired from test cricket and has not expressed any intention of continuing beyond this world cup. He is likely to improve upon his tally of 53 wickets in world cup matches. If Sri Lanka advance into later stages of the competition, he may even surpass McGrath, who stands at the top with 71 wickets.
Ricky Ponting is certainly the most successful world cup player in cricket history. He has been part of the Australian team for the last four world cups, of which they won three, two under his leadership. He is also the second highest run scorer in world cups with over 1500 runs that include four centuries. The way his form slumped recently has made it clear that he will not be able to retain his place in the team for long even if Australia win another world cup under his leadership.
Sachin is 38 now. Although he is still scoring centuries, he will not be able to continue for long. He has fitness problems. His back will not back him any more. It will soon give up. Four years later he will be 42. Youngsters emerging in India will not allow him to retain his place. So be there in front of your television screens to see all of India’s matches in the world cup because this is definitely going to be Sachin’s last. He is expected to become the first player to score more than 2000 runs in world cups since he is only 204 runs away from that mark.
Less than 75 one-days, only 23 tests and 31 T20s—you may be thinking these are the records of some cricketer aged between 20 and 25. No, these numbers belong to Misbahul Haq who will turn 37 in May, which means he will be 41 when the next world cup will be played four years later. There is no chance that he will be there. The way he has been scoring for the past few months—first against South Africa and then against New Zealand—we can expect much from him in this world cup. He has yet to score a century in one-day cricket. Let’s see if he can do this in the biggest one-day competition.
Michael Hussey arrived at the international cricket scene even later than Misbah did—at 29. But unlike Misbah, he cemented his place very soon and has played 59 tests and over 150 matches. He averages over 50 runs in tests as well as one-days. He failed to impress in the 2007 competition which his team won, nevertheless. This one in the subcontinent may be his last. He holds the key to Australian success this time because Hayden and Gilchrist have left.
Brett Lee, being a fast bowler, has always struggled with his fitness. With new bowlers able to win matches for Australia, selectors will soon stop considering him. They have, however, included him in the world cup squad. Lee was superb in the 2003 competition. He took 22 wickets in 10 games to help his team retain the cup. Let’s see how many wickets he can add to his world cup tally.
Paul Collingwood and Scot Styris have served their countries well over the years with bat as well as ball. Both have given depth to their teams’ batting and bowling lines. But their growing age limits their future chances. This world cup is certainly the last for them. Collingwood has a batting average of almost 46 and has taken seven wickets in 14 world cup matches. The way he struggled in Australia recently makes repeat of the past performances less likely in this world cup, however.
Styris has 13 wickets from 18 world cup matches. But most impressive is his batting average of 69 runs in world cup games. He may become the leading run scorer for New Zealand in world cup matches by crossing Stephen Fleming’s total of 1075. He stands at 767.
Chanderpaul is the third highest run scorer for West Indies in world cups with 856 runs. If he excels this time as he did in previous cups (he has an average of 40) and if his team reaches advanced stages, he may become the leading run scorer for West Indies by surpassing Lara’s 1225 runs. West Indies will depend a lot on this 36-year-old batsman who is playing his last world cup.
Abdul Razzaq has already announced that he plans to retire after the 2012 T20 world cup. If he does as he says (Pakistanis are notorious in announcing retirements and withdrawing them), the 2011 one-day world cup will be his last. His performances were a major reason why Pakistan reached the final of 1999 world cup. If he can repeat performances such as the half century against Australia or three wickets against West Indies (including that of Lara) in the group matches, Pakistan’s chances of reaching advanced stages will certainly improve.
He has played a number of match-winning innings in the last one year. He single-handedly took Pakistan to victory against England in a T20 in early 2010. Then he played two all-important innings in England against England. His match-winning century against South Africa later in the year was something that cricket fans all over the world will remember forever. That made every cricket lover certain that there is a lot of cricket left in him. Pakistan will depend on him more than anyone else.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription