World Cup 2019: 3 opening batsmen who could boost their team’s chances
With the evolution of modern-day cricket, the significance of opening batsmen has risen tremendously. In the 1996 World Cup, it was the explosive Sri Lankan duo of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharna who started the practice of big hitting and quick scoring. Today, every team has adopted this method, expecting their openers to set the tone for a big score.
Let’s look at 5 such openers whose contributions will have a major impact on their team’s chances at the 2019 World Cup.
Rohit Sharma – India
When he gets going, he keeps going! Rohit Sharma’s resurgence as a powerful opening batsman has done wonders for Team India in limited overs cricket. There are few batsmen in the world who can hit those huge sixes with such ease and nonchalance, and Rohit tops that list. His biggest strength lies in taking away the game from the opposition with his quick scoring in the latter half of his innings. Rohit is the only batsman to have three ODI double hundreds to his name, with seven 150+ scores.
In 2018 alone, Rohit scored 1030 runs in 19 matches, with 5 centuries and 3 fifties at a staggering average of 73.57. His highest individual score that year was 162. Going into the World Cup at England, he will be reminded of the 2013 Champions Trophy – the turning point of his career.
Martin Guptill – New Zealand
New Zealand got as close to the trophy as they could back in 2015. This time around as well, they will be one of the strongest contenders for the coveted title. And this quest will be incomplete without their best opener, Martin Guptill. When on song, Guptill is an extremely aggressive batsman who can very well clobber the best of bowlers. He was also one of the prolific run scorers in the last World Cup, scoring a record highest 237 against a hapless West Indies bowling attack. One of his biggest assets is the ability to play both, spin and pace equally well. England will offer fast and bouncy pitches, like the ones in New Zealand, and Guptill should have no difficulty in dispatching the white ball into the stands.
Although he looked out of form in the series against India, Guptill has shown his potential against the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. If he gets going in the World Cup, there’s no stopping Mr. Two Toes.
Iman-ul-Haq – Pakistan
Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq have become one of the best Pakistani openers in recent times. Both batsmen have been solid players of the white ball. Imam, especially, has displayed great technique and variety that makes him a potent force in the 50-over format. His selection in the Pakistani setup raised quite a few eyebrows, considering he is the nephew of former Pakistani batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq. However, the opener responded to his critics with a promising century on debut against Zimbabwe.
Imam has been in good form of late, striking three half-centuries in the 2018 Asia Cup. He even proved his mettle in overseas conditions, on the tour of South Africa, scoring a couple of fifties and an impressive hundred. With a fine temperament to play those big shots and groundstrokes, Imam could well be the cornerstone of Pakistan’s success in England.
