Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, [email protected]
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the team of the tournament after the completion of the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers which Zimbabwe hosted.
The team is dominated by players from Sri Lanka, Netherlands and the hosts, Zimbabwe. The three nations managed to have three players each making the final 11. After three nations provided three players each, the remaining two were from Scotland.
The Chevrons are represented by the Player of the Tournament, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza and fast bowler Richard Ngarava. The trio were exceptional in Zimbabwe’s campaign which ended in a bad way for the team as they fell agonisingly short of booking their place in the World Cup in India later this year.
A jury made of five was the one responsible for picking the team. The selectors were Natalie Germanos and Brian Murgatroyd (commentary representatives), Firdose Moonda (media representative), Alex Wharf (match officials’ representative) and Hamilton Masakadza (Tournament Director).
In the team’s playing order, Williams will come in to bat at number four after an impressive spell with the bat throughout the tournament where he scored a massive 600 runs in seven innings. Raza will come in at number six on the batting order as he had a good spell in the middle for the Chevrons. Ngarava, a specialist bowler was picked as the 11th man.
Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka opens the batting thanks to two centuries which helped him finish the tournament as the second-highest run scorer, with 417. His opening partner will be Netherlands’ 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.
Singh was named Player of the Match as he brought up his maiden ODI century against Oman on his way to over 300 tournament runs while also contributing six wickets, including figures of 2/12 in the final.
The first Scottish selection for the Team of the Tournament side is Brandon McMullen who will come in at number three courtesy of his two centuries, including a knock of 136 against Oman. After Williams, the 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.
As Raza bats at number six, the Dutch skipper Scott Edwards will come in at number seven and will also take gloves. Edwards twice top-scored for his side on the way to sealing qualification, while also providing a safe pair of hands behind the stumps with 10 catches and two stumpings.
At number eight and nine there will be Sri Lankan spinning wizards, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana who helped their side to both qualification and the overall title. Hasaranga finished as the tournament’s top wicket taker with 22 dismissals, at an average of just 12.90, and became just the second bowler to take three consecutive five-wicket hauls in ODIs after doing so against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and Ireland.
Theekshana was just one wicket behind his compatriot and shone when he was needed most, earning Player of the Match awards against Scotland, Zimbabwe, and West Indies as well as taking four wickets in the final against the Netherlands.
The last two spots in the team were given to Scotland’s Chris Sole who took 11 wickets, including a memorable Player of the Match performance in his side’s stunning victory over Zimbabwe. Ngarava, coming in at number 11 claimed 14 wickets at an average of 19.28 including four wickets against Nepal in the tournament opener.
ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 Team of the Tournament:
1. Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka) 417 runs at 69.50
2. Vikramjit Singh (Netherlands) 326 runs at 40.75 and six wickets
3. Brandon McMullen (Scotland) 364 runs at 52.00 and 13 wickets at 17.52
4. Sean Williams (Zimbabwe) 600 runs at 100.00 and three wickets
5. Bas de Leede (Netherlands) 285 runs at 47.50 and 15 wickets at 22.13
6. Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) 325 runs at 65.00 and nine wickets at 29.77
7. Scott Edwards (Netherlands) 314 runs at 62.80
8. Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka) 22 wickets at 12.90
9. Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka) 21 wickets at 12.23
10. Chris Sole (Scotland) 11 wickets at 25.00
11. Richard Ngarava (Zimbabwe) 14 wickets at 19.28. – @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter