Players Who Have Surprised So Far in World Cup 2023: The World Cup was bound to throw up new talents. It is a tournament where people don’t forget performances easily. Any young player making their mark in the World Cup will serve them well in the future. The tournament being played in India raised questions on the ability of a few players. Players from SENA countries face the toughest questions in a venue like India. But at the completion of 10 games, there have been many surprises. Many players have outdone themselves already.
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We look at Players Who Have Surprised So Far in World Cup 2023:
#5 Bas de Leede – Netherlands
He was expected to don the allrounder’s role for the Dutch in the tournament. Bas de Leede is a proven performer in the Associate Nations circuit. He played a major role in the Netherlands qualifying for the World Cup. But Indian conditions were sure to test a player who is completely alien to this part of the world.
He though has impressed everyone with his all-round brilliance in the couple of matches the side has played. Leede was particularly good in the game against Pakistan. The Netherlands would have had a real chance to upset Pakistan had he stayed at the crease a bit longer.
#4 Mohammad Rizwan – Pakistan
It was expected that the Pakistani captain, Babar Azam, would set the run-charts on fire. But he has had a subdued World Cup so far. Mohammad Rizwan, his deputy though has risen to the occasion beautifully. He was the one who navigated Pakistan to safety in their opening game against the Netherlands.
Rizwan stole the show in the second game against Sri Lanka. His unbeaten 131 helped Pakistan register a World Cup record chase. Rizwan has played both pace and spin with elan. He remains their vital cog if they have to go the distance in this World Cup.
#3 Mitchell Santner – New Zealand
The era of finger spin in ODIs is well and truly back. It is largely owing to the likes of Mitchell Santner that the art is thriving even in white-ball cricket. The left-arm spinner has been absolutely sensational in the World Cup so far. On a flat deck against a rampaging batting lineup, Santner bowled tight lines and lengths to restrict England.
The defending champions couldn’t cross the 300-run mark. Santner went a notch higher in the game against the Netherlands. He picked up a 5-wicket haul to take New Zealand to the top of the table (now South Africa). Santner’s classical finger spin is proving too hot to handle for batters.
#2 Kusal Mendis – Sri Lanka
Not many would have thought that it would be Kusal Mendis who would be dominating the batting charts in the early stages of the World Cup. But the Sri Lankan number 3 has been outstanding. Chasing a mammoth score of 429, Sri Lanka had to go right from ball one. But none of the batters barring Mendis found their bearing. He smashed all the South African bowlers to every corner of the ground.
Mendis took on the famed Pakistani pace attack too. He relentlessly kept looking for scoring opportunities in his 77-ball 122 knock comprising 14 fours and 6 sixes. Needless to say, he has been Lanka’s biggest MVP.
#1 Quinton de Kock – South Africa
He had announced that he would retire from the format soon after the World Cup. It was speculated that Quinton de Kock might not have the zeal required to excel in the tournament. His willingness to retire early from the format threw a hint that he might not buy into its charm.
But QDK has surprised one and all with his exploits in the World Cup so far. He scored a top hundred in the opening game against Sri Lanka. But it was his century against Australia on a tricky Lucknow wicket that will be spoken ever so highly. It was a masterclass in ODI batting. He for sure is retiring too soon from this format.
