Birthday special: James Neesham – New Zealand all-rounder who is yet to give his best

There comes nothing closer to the torrent of emotions the cricket on-lookers go through whilst watching a world cup final. And when one talks about a final that has all the suspense and drama, then one would certainly picture the World Cup 2019 final between England and New Zealand.

When everybody was at the edge of their seats, witnessing the action unfold, James Neesham was on the ground with Martin Guptill, holding the hopes of winning the maiden cricket World Cup for New Zealand. The final was a heart-wrenching one and though Neesham looked intense on the field, he is a calm and humorous person off it. These abilities of the all-rounder make him the man for a crisis. As Neesham celebrates his birthday on September 17 it is for us to note that he is yet to fulfil his potential for the Kiwis.

The roller-coaster journey of James Neesham

The left-handed batter and right-arm medium pacer emerged into the international circuit in the year 2012 when he made his debut for New Zealand in the T20I. Later, in the following years, he also made his ODI and Test debuts and exuded his sheer flair with some promising performances. Making an impact at the highest level demands consistency and brings in a lot of pressure due to the expectations.

Neesham went through a lean patch and then took a considerable break from the game only to come back stronger. He toiled hard in the domestic games which paved the way for his comeback to the national side and he did it with his own distinct style. The New Zealand fans witnessed a brand new arrival of Neesham after the span of 18 long months.

He appeared as a player who was full of confidence and marked his return with a belligerent 47 not out off 13 balls against Sri Lanka. In April 2019 he was named in the 15-man New Zealand squad for the World Cup in England & Wales. In the high-profile tournament, Neesham scored 232 runs and also scalped 15 wickets.

Now with the T20 World Cup on cards, the all-rounder yet again has a lot of hopes pinned on him. He has the repertoire to change the fortunes of the game anytime around. Neesham’s contributions down the order would be pivotal for the Kiwis and there is no doubt that he will be all keen to make his impact in the tournament.