NZ vs WI: 5 Top Performers from T20I series
Post the Covid Scenario, the Kiwis hosted their first international series against the West Indies. Though most of the Kiwi and West Indies players had got a much-needed exposure of the T20 Cricket through the recently concluded IPL, the hosts made the most of it. Kiwi won the three-match series by 2-0 with the third with the final game getting abandoned. There were a lot of positives that stood out for both the teams be it with the bat, ball or while donning the field. Here are the top performers from both New Zealand and West Indies.
5. Oshane Thomas:
Oshane Thomas looks like the future of the West Indies bowling line-up. In this series too he stood out as the best bowler for the visitors chipping in with 3 wickets from 2 matches he bowled. Though sometimes he ends up leaking too many runs, his wicket-taking ability makes him a special bowler. West Indies will be looking to back him and groom him with more opportunities if they’re to defend their T20 Title.
4. Lockie Ferguson:
Ferguson has FIVE! Just the second player to do it for the BLACKCAPS in T20I cricket (Tim Southee the other). @windiescricket 146/7 in the 14 over. LIVE scoring | https://t.co/nmoISKJLui #NZvWI pic.twitter.com/UpTvpsvVmZ
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 27, 2020
Lockie Ferguson was brilliant for New Zealand once he found his rhythm and shape. In this series, it looked like he continued in the same form as that of IPL. Ferguson picked 7 wickets from 3 matches which comprised of a 5-fer in the first match which proved crucial in restricting the opposition. It is not just the wickets that he picks, he also keeps a lid on the run-scoring. He will be crucial for the Kiwis if they are to lay their hands on the T20 World Cup for the first time in the history of New Zealand Cricket.
3. Kieron Pollard:
Kieron Pollard is a different player when it comes to the shortest format of the game. It doesn’t matter which team or franchise he plays for, he makes his presence felt be it while making the ball disappear, be it while patrolling the field positions, or be it chipping in with wickets. In this series, he scored 103 runs in 2 innings which included 12 sixes and 4 fours, whereas with the ball he chipped in with 2 wickets in as many innings. The captain led from the front but his efforts went in vain in the end.
2. Devon Conway:
Devin Conway was brilliant coming in at number three for the Kiwis. In this series, he notched up scores of 41(29) and 65*(37) in the first and second T20 respectively. In the second T20, he was brilliant in anchoring the innings and forming a match-winning partnership with Glenn Phillips. But it will be interesting to see where he gets to bat, once Williamson returns.
1. Glenn Phillips:
A maiden T20I century for Glenn Phillips ?
A knock of utmost quality, featuring nine fours and eight sixes ?#NZvWI pic.twitter.com/2jdA2Pw1Ih
— ICC (@ICC) November 29, 2020
Glenn Phillips was in the news for a long time now and he has proved why he can be a contender to be in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup for the Kiwis. This series he couldn’t don the gloves as Tim Seifert was given with that responsibility. But with the bat, he was the highest run-getter of the series. He scored 130 runs from 2 innings averaging 65 with a strike rate of 224.14 which included a ton.
