After an exciting six weeks of the World Cup 2019, the tournament culminated with an epic final that saw England edge out New Zealand on boundary count. As is the case in every tournament, some players impress with their skills and consistency, while a few others prove to be big let-downs. Others still, overshadow the big names and leave their indomitable mark in the competition.
This World Cup too saw some surprise performers from various teams, and we look at three of them.
Liam Plunkett - England
Plunkett, who was playing his first World Cup after 2007, emerged as a consistent wicket-taker whom Eoin Morgan could rely upon whenever his side was in need of wickets. In the middle overs, especially on good batting tracks, Plunkett impressed with his ability to bowl with the old ball, with a cross-seam that was effective.
Plunkett played seven games in the World Cup, and the fact that England won all of them signify the impact that he had. In seven matches, he picked up 11 wickets, which include the big scalps of Virat Kohli, Hashim Amla, and Chris Gayle.
In the final against the Black Caps, he was the underrated match-winner, as his three-wicket haul increased the pressure on the rivals. He also got the prized wicket of Kane Williamson with a cross seamed delivery that deviated just enough to catch the batter’s outside edge.
Rassie van der Dussen - South Africa
The only silver lining in South Africa’s disastrous World Cup campaign was the rise of Rassie van der Dussen. After AB de Villiers’ retirement, the Proteas were struggling to find a solid middle order batsman who could hold one end up, but in Dussen, they found a player who could effortlessly play patient knocks and steady the ship after the loss of early wickets.
His calmness in the middle order and the strokes that he played in crunch situations gave a glimpse of the talent that he possesses. If he continues batting in the same vein, he could well be the next superstar from the nation. On a slow track against the Kiwis, his 67 off 64 balls helped South Africa notch up a competitive total, while his 97-ball 95 against Australia was laced with maturity as he ripped apart a world-class bowling unit. The batsman eventually finished with 311 runs from six innings with three fifties.
Alex Carey - Australia
Before the World Cup, as critics were enlisting the possible wicket-keepers who could shine in the World Cup, hardly any believed that Australia’s Alex Carey could leave a mark. However, the left-hander proved them all wrong by playing some crucial knocks, which helped his team into the semis.
Against West Indies, when the Kangaroos were reeling at 79 for 5, Carey joined Steven Smith at the crease and laid the platform for Nathan Coulter-Nile to flourish in the end and score 92 with the bat. In the semis against England, Carey was promoted up to 5 after his team had lost early wickets. Though he was hit on the chin by a nasty bouncer from Jofra Archer earlier on in his innings, the keeper showed great composure to grit it out and get to 46.
He ended the World Cup with 375 runs from nine games, at an average of 62.50 and was included in ICC’s team of the World Cup as the wicket-keeper.
