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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
THE ICC World Cup Qualifier had a generally sad ending for hosts Zimbabwe but the hearty performances by the Chevrons players in the run up to the Super Six stage have not gone unnoticed as three local players were selected in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 Team of the Tournament yesterday.
Zimbabwe all-rounder Sean Williams, who distinguished himself with the bat, was named Player of the Tournament while Sikandar Raza and Richard Ngarava also made the tournament’s best XI.
Williams was named Player of the tournament for his 600 runs and three wickets.
The 36-year-old has enjoyed some of his best cricket during the Qualifier, with three hundreds and two fifties in seven innings.
He scored a career best when crunching the tournament’s top score of 174 against USA as well as another 142 against Oman to also boast the Qualifier’s highest strike rate of 139.21.
Previously he had set a new record of the fastest century by a Zimbabwean batter when smashing 102 from 70 balls against Nepal in the tournament opener.
The record, however, was shattered two days later by Sikandar who needed only 54 balls to reach the same in a match against the Netherlands.
Raza’s performances with both bat and ball earned him a place in the Team of the Tournament, along with Ngarava, whose 14 wickets made him joint fourth on the charts.
Champions Sri Lanka and finalists Netherlands also have three selections from each side while the other two players came from Scotland, who had a fairy-tale run during this event and only to miss out on their maiden World Cup qualification with the slimmest of margins .
The bowling duo Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana make the cut for Sri Lanka alongside opener Pathum Nissanka.
Fellow World Cup qualifiers Netherlands are represented by all-rounders Vikramjit Singh and Bas de Leede along with captain Scott Edwards.
According to the panel that made the selection, Nissanka, who scored two centuries during the tournament, opens the batting.
His opening partner is Vikramjit Singh, who starred with bat and ball for the Netherlands as they booked their return to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time since 2011.
The first Scottish selection for the side is Brandon McMullen at number three courtesy of his two centuries, including a knock of 136 against Oman. Zimbabwe’s Williams makes up the top four. Dutch hero Bas de Leede then comes in at number five fresh from his stunning display against Scotland.
De Leede became just the fifth player to score a century and take a five wicket haul in the same ODI as he notched figures of 123 and five for 52 to haul the Netherlands over the line.
But it was not just that match in which the all-rounder shone, as he took 15 wickets across the tournament as well as contributing 285 runs.
Raza continues the middle order after the Zimbabwe stalwart was superb on home soil. Raza hit a stunning 52-ball hundred to inspire the Chevrons to victory against the Netherlands, while also posting figures of four for 55 with the ball.
The 37-year-old starred as Zimbabwe beat West Indies, picking up his second Player of the Match award of the tournament.
Raza’s 325 tournament runs are just 11 more than the next player selected in the team, with Netherlands captain Scott Edwards also taking the gloves.
A pair of Sri Lankan bowlers then take the next two spots, as superb showings throughout from Hasaranga and Theekshana helped their side to both qualification and the overall title.
Hasaranga finished as the tournament’s top wicket taker with 22 dismissals, and became just the second bowler to take three consecutive five-wicket hauls in ODIs after doing so against UAE, Oman, and Ireland.
Online Reporter