Cricket News

Players who can be the player of the match in the first T20I

International cricket is almost upon us after an exciting Indian T20 League season that saw the debutants Gujarat team sweep aside all the competition to a maiden season win. India and South Africa play their first of five T20s in Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on June 9th. With both teams’ players having a decent experience in Indian conditions, the challenge looks decently balanced in either team’s favors. Both the teams have match winners who could take the game by the scruff of the neck and win it for their team. In this post, we look at three of those players.

Hardik Pandya

The Gujarat captain has been on the fringes due to many injuries in the past couple of years. With this season of the Indian T20 League, however, he has not only found his former self but also surpassed it. With 487 runs and eight wickets in the Indian T20 League, the Surat born allrounder has marked the resurgence of the player that everyone missed.

After a massive confidence boost, he would be looking to free himself from the demons of the past and put his name for the upcoming T20 World Cup later this year.

Yuzvendra Chahal

The ex Bangalore bowler was the backbone of the franchise for eight years before he was let go in this year’s auction. With a point to prove to his ex-employers and all the doubters, he set out to play for the Rajasthan franchise. To say that he was successful in proving all doubters wrong would be a massive understatement.
In 17 matches he took 27 runs and helped his team reach the finals of this season’s Indian T20 League. Although they lost the final, Chahal’s battle with self-doubt was easily won by him.

He would be looking to translate his franchise form to the international side and do well in the T20 series against South Africa which is why he graces this list of players who could win the player of the match in the first T20 against South Africa.

David Miller

David Miller has transformed his game, particularly against spin to become one of the very best in the T20s. His father Andrew Miller reminded everyone that the Southpaw has averaged 79 with a striker rate of 140 against spin and none of the cricket experts picked this technical change. One does not need to see his stats to know that there has been a massive change in his technique which allows him to play better in the subcontinent conditions.

The Protea batter averaged 68.71, the highest of any batter in this season’s Indian T20 League and made 481 runs with a strike rate of 142.72. Not only did he do well on the personal front but was a key cog in the Gujarat machine that won this season’s league. He is also the most capable player against spin in the South African team which propels him ahead of others on this list.