The ICC World Cup 2019 got over on July 14, Sunday. The mega spectacle cricket event was won by hosts England, who by courtesy of more boundaries won the finale which saw both the match and the super over end in a tie. The 2019 World Cup was ruled by several big stars and they showed what consistency and effort can do.
Prior to the knockout stages, we had the league stage in the 10-team tourney. It was then when several performances caught the eye and there were many players who lived up to the billing. Although for some their teams failed, but individually things went well. Several others performed more than their abilities to spice up the tournament. They were the emerging players or the finds of the tournament.
In the league stage, certain nations who failed to live up to the hype and expectations were hampered by certain star players not turning up. This factor ended up hurting these sides. From South Africa, to that of West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, a few notable players didn’t quite get up and show responsibility.
This in turn had an adverse effect as teams went down without much to offer. In this article we look at five such mega players who failed miserably in World Cup 2019.
Chris Gayle – West Indies
The Universe Boss was expected to live up the campaign with his effortless hitting and long range sixes. He was in supreme form coming into the tournament. Gayle not only enjoyed form in the ODI format, but also had a successful stint with Kings XI Punjab in the 12th edition of the Indian Premier League. A lot was expected from the southpaw who played his final World Cup.
A carrier of 1,00-plus runs in the World Cup, Gayle struggled big time in CWC 19. The veteran Universe Boss managed just 242 runs from eight innings. He started off with a fifty, but then fizzled out. Teams cramped him for space upfront and the Windies superstar threw away his wicket. WI would have liked him to set the platform more than what he offered.
Martin Guptill – New Zealand
The experienced New Zealand biggie may have livened up CWC 19 with his fielding skills and catching, but with the bat he was a shadow of himself. It was Guptill who sent NZ to the finale with a magical run-out of MS Dhoni in a crunch situation. But what the Kiwis needed was a sheer effort with the bat. But Guptill, who can take away the game, offered nothing significant.
He failed to get going time and time again. He was the man out of form at the top for Kiwis, who struggled badly with their batting for large parts. A senior player like Guptill was devastated with himself for not living up to the mark. Losing the World Cup was a major blow as well. The Kiwi opener went on to score just 188 runs for his side.
Fakhar Zaman – Pakistan
The explosive batsman was backed throughout Pakistan’s campaign, but southpaw Fakhar Zaman failed to show any substance with the bat. This once again highlighted his struggles far too many. He can go in a lean patch and that happened to bite Pakistan. Zaman only knows how to slam bang and this approach hurt him. He showed no moral responsibility to stand up.
He struggled against spinners and often fell to loose shots. He fired blanks and that saw Pakistan wobble in the first part of their campaign. The middle order was burdened because of his failure. Pakistan missed out on the semis and with 186 runs, Zaman missed the plot. Perhaps, he could have taken a leaf out from the more sensible Imam-ul-Haq.
Kagiso Rabada – South Africa
A lot was expected out of South African speedster Kagiso Rabada who bowled like a champion in IPL 12 for the Delhi Capitals. He was expected to be among the wickets in CWC 19 and lead the way for the Proteas. But surprisingly, Rabada was way off his mark and the wicket column tells you the story (11).
Unlike other star pacers, who stood up and left a mark in the World Cup, Rabada’s inability to pick up wickets hurt South Africa badly and they were never in the tourney. He was way too inconsistent and never quite managed to come in the middle overs and deliver key scalps. A fine bowler, Rabada wasn’t seen at his best in England and Wales.
Rashid Khan – Afghanistan
A lot was expected from the best spinner in the world, but Rashid Khan was way off his standards. He was the cynosure of all eyes and was a major reason for Afghanistan tp qualify in the first place. He also enjoyed a strong IPL 2019 season for Sunrisers Hyderabad. So there were expectations set in the Afghan camp.
Gulbadin Naib’s side missed the free-flowing Rashid. His body language wasn’t the best and at times he looked off. He conceded runs aplenty and was easily negotiated by the batsmen. Just seven wickets shows how far he was behind then the rest of the bowlers in the tournament. Rashid was too predictable and bowled in bad areas. This allowed batsmen the time.