When the rain didn’t play spoilsport, the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup had some riveting, nail-biting action that will be remembered for years to come. From record breaking batting displays to mesmerizing spells of bowling and sensational fielding displays, the World Cup in England has had it all. With the league stages at its midway stage with most teams having played at least five games, it calls for a countdown of the top moments of the tournament so far.
Kohli shows his sportsmanship
In the match against Australia on June 9, Virat Kohli showed why he is a great ambassador to the gentleman’s game as he gestured to the Indian fans in the crowd to applaud the returning opposition batsman Steve Smith, rather than booing him. Speaking after the game, the Indian skipper was quoted saying, “Just because there are so many Indian fans here, I just didn't want them to set a bad example, to be honest, because he (Smith) didn't do anything to be booed in my opinion."
With India fans giving Steve Smith a tough time fielding in the deep, @imVkohli suggested they applaud the Australian instead.
— ICC (@ICC) June 9, 2019
Absolute class 👏 #SpiritOfCricket #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/mmkLoedxjr
Despite the intense competition between the two sides, the 30-year-old showed that playing the game in the right spirit was imperative with a brilliant gesture that became the talk of the town in the cricketing fraternity for the day.
Morgan’s six show floors Afghanistan
From one captain to another, English skipper Eoin Morgan led from the front in the league game against Afghanistan on June 18. The left-handed batsman scored over a hundred runs in just sixes in that game, claiming the record for most maximums in an ODI inning with 17.
6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣#EoinMorgan blasted a world-record 17 sixes in a spectacular innings of 148 from just 71 balls! 💥 #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/SbUl0RsUSD
— ICC (@ICC) June 18, 2019
On a sunny evening in Manchester, the crowd was treated to a blitzkrieg of an innings by Morgan, who hit spinner Rashid Khan for three sixes twice in the game. His knock of 148 helped the hosts get to their highest ever score in a World Cup game, ending at 397.
Neesham stunning the Afghans
In a team comprising of Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Henry, very few expected a certain James Neesham to make an impact in the World Cup. But against Afghanistan, the 28-year-old showcased what kind of agility he adds to an already fortifying Kiwi pace battery by registering his best ever ODI figure of 5/31.
Coming on the back of two disappointing tenures – against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – Neesham has largely been seen as a supporting cast rather than the protagonist. Against Afghanistan, however, there was no stopping him. Soon after opener Hazratullah Zazai fell to his brilliance, the 28-year-old went on to add the likes of Rahmat Shah, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran into his list.
Captain Karunaratne carries the bat
Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne was at the receiving end of backlash when he was given the reigns of carrying the team in the World Cup. After all, he hadn’t played a single ODI since 2015. Come the World Cup, little was expected of the Islanders, but as it seems, Karunaratne arrived with a different idea.
His team might have struggled, but #DimuthKarunaratne had a day to remember against New Zealand – he became only the second player to carry his bat in a World Cup match!
— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 1, 2019
West Indies' Ridley Jacobs was the first, scoring 49* against Australia in 1999.#CWC19 pic.twitter.com/oOswIpvrV0
Starting their conquest against New Zealand, although Sri Lanka had nothing to celebrate, their captain — with an unbeaten knock of 52 — became only the second player to carry the bat in a World Cup game after West Indies’ Ridley Jacobs. His record also extended the national figures as he became the second Sri Lankan captain to do so in ODIs after Upul Tharanga’s antics in 2017.
Ben Stokes’ super-man moment
Spectators present at The Oval in the opening game of the World Cup between England and South Africa couldn’t have asked for a better start. England, once again, posted 300-plus on the board, and a certain Ben Stokes delivered a performance worth remembering.
Apart from his scintillating 79-ball 89 and 2/12 in three overs, a major chunk of his highlight of the day remained the catch he picked to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo off Adil Rashid’s delivery. What made the catch more momentous? Well, the 28-year-old was literally running backwards and dived with his right arm swinging in the mid-air.
Best catch in the World Cup history? Maybe…
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / Cricket Australia
