Road to the Cricket World Cup 2023. Hall of Fame: Rohit Sharma

Nonchalant strokeplay, record five hundreds in a single World Cup

ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BATTING: Matches 17, Innings 17, Not Out 2, Highest Score 140, Runs 978, Average 65.20, Strike-rate 95.97, 100s 6, 50s 3, Catches 7

What does one say about a man who scores three double centuries in One-day Internationals (ODIs) with a record 264, by a long way, to his name, and one who hits up five hundreds in a single World Cup. Just ten double hundreds have been scored in over half a century of ODIs, all since 2010, and no one else has managed more than one. Suddenly, in 2019 Rohit equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record six hundreds in the World Cup. There was always something special about Rohit. His sublime strokeplay, almost casual, David Gower like, endeared him to everyone. His lofted pull became his hallmark, earning him loads of sixes with the occasional dismissal. For what seemed ages, his innate God-given abilities did not translate into results expected of them. Then, like Tendulkar, he was given a spot at the top of the order and he flowered. Still, someone with his flair and natural gifts was not making headway at the Test level. Again, he was given the opener’s role, and he was off the blocks. A hugely successful IPL captain, Rohit Sharma found his way to the helm of the national side. He finally settled where he was always ordained. 

His World Cup debut was the high intensity contest with Pakistan. Rohit raised 34 with Shikhar Dhawan in 7.3 overs. But on 15 he attempted his favourite pull shot off Sohail Khan; this time he miscued and the ball went sailing into the hands of mid-off. Virat Kohli (107) was associated in two century stands with Dhawan (73) and Suresh Raina (74). India set up a challenging 300 for seven. Pakistan were not up to it, and folded up for 224.

Disaster struck as Rohit was run out for a duck by a direct hit from A.B. de Villiers. This time Dhawan (137) conjured hundred partnerships with Kohli (46) and Ajinkya Rahane (79). India hit up 377. South Africa could muster only 177.

There was no challenge from the United Arab Emirates. They collapsed to 102 all out. After the early departure of Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli brought up victory with an unbroken stand of 75. Rohit was on the attack. They raised the half-century of the partnership in 8.2 overs. Rohit got to his maiden World Cup fifty in 48 balls. They cruised on, and finally Rohit clubbed a four to reach the target in 18.5 overs. He returned with 57 runs to his name off 55 deliveries, having struck a six and 10 fours. Kohli scored 33 in 41 balls with five boundaries.

Had it not been for skipper Jason Holder’s 57 at no. 9, West Indies would have been in far worse plight than they eventually were. Coming in at 85 for seven, he was last out with his side’s total on 182. But their bowlers hit back. Rohit was caught at the wicket, trying to drive, with his score on just 7. Wickets fell regularly, and at one stage they found themselves at 134 for six. An unbroken half-century stand between skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin saw them home.

Ireland did well to post 259. But the Indian openers made light of it. Rohit and Dhawan took turns in hitting boundaries. The fifty of the stand came in the 9^th over. They accelerated, the century partnership being registered in 14.1 overs. Dhawan reached his fifty from 54 balls. Rohit raised his own half-century off 49 deliveries with a six high over covers. With more fireworks, the 150 was on the board in just 20.1 overs. Dhawan was racing away; Rohit, though, played on to his stumps. His 64 came off 66 balls with the aid of 3 sixes and 3 fours. The stand realised 174 runs, the highest for India for the first wicket in the World Cup, in only 23.2 overs. Shikhar Dhawan brought up his hundred off just 84 balls. He was caught in the covers off the very next delivery that he faced, having slammed 5 sixes and 11 fours. Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane carried India to victory with an unbroken stand of 70.

A tremendous hundred by skipper Brendan Taylor (138 runs, 110 balls) and his fifth-wicket century partnership with Craig Ervine were instrumental in Zimbabwe posting a total of 287. India slumped to 92 for four in 22.4 overs, Rohit being caught in the covers for 16. Then came a superb unbroken stand of 196 in 26 overs between Suresh Raina (110 not out, 104 balls) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (85 not out, 76 balls). They took India home with 8 deliveries to spare. India joined New Zealand as the only teams to win all their six pool matches.

The silken touch of Rohit Sharma was in full evidence in the quarter-final as they took on Bangladesh. He drove the first ball of the match from Mashrafe Mortaza to the cover-point fence. With both he and Dhawan finding the boundary regularly, the fifty came up in 9.3 overs. Dhawan was stumped for 30. The partnership yielded 75 runs off 16.3 overs. Rohit got to his half-century off 70 deliveries. Suresh Raina joined forces for the fourth-wicket. He raised the fifty of the stand in style, lofting Shakib Al Hasan over long-on for a six. It came off 8.1 overs. Rohit was cruising serenely, the singles interrupted by the intermittent boundary. Raina reached his half-century in 46 balls. In the same over, the hundred of the partnership was posted off only 13 overs. Soon, Rohit raised his century, his first in the World Cup, from 108 deliveries. Raina hit out at Mashrafe, but the ball gained only height, no distance, and when it came down, it settled in Mushfiqur Rahim’s gloves. His 65 had come off 57 balls, studded with a six and 7 fours. It was a splendid 122-run stand that spanned 15.5 overs. Rohit raised the tempo. He finally edged on to the stumps. It was a delightful innings, 137 runs from 126 balls, embellished with 3 sixes and 14 fours. India hoisted 302 for six. Bangladesh did not offer much resistance, being bowled out for 193. Rohit was man-of-the-match.     

Australia posted a daunting 328 for seven in the semi-final, courtesy Steve Smith’s brilliant century and his 182-run second-wicket partnership with Aaron Finch. Rohit and Dhawan began steadily, and then raised the tempo. That brought up the fifty in 9.5 overs. Just as it seemed that India’s innings had taken off well, Dhawan was caught in the covers off Josh Hazlewood. His 45 had come off 41 balls with the aid of a six and 6 fours. Kohli fell for 1. Then Rohit pulled Johnson for a six. Johnson pitched the next one up and brought it in sharply. Rohit edged it on to the stumps. He was gone for 34, having faced 48 deliveries and hit 2 sixes and a four. From then on, India were fading despite a 70-run stand between Rahane and Dhoni. The reigning champions were all out for 233, bowing out of the tournament.

Without being brilliant, it was a successful foray in the World Cup by Rohit. He hit a characteristically sublime century in the quarter-final and a couple of other fifties. His 330 runs in 8 matches came at an average of 47.14 and strike-rate of 91.66. It was another impressive chapter in the opening duet with Dhawan.

Rohit was in an entirely different zone in the 2019 tournament. South Africa continued to struggle in this event and were able to put up just 227 for nine. While Rohit played a resolute knock, there were only cameos at the other end. Dhawan was caught behind early off Kagiso Rabada. Rohit was in full flow but Kohli too parted ways after a brief stay. K.L. Rahul dug in. Rohit raised his half-century from 70 deliveries. He was now in control. Soon they brought up the fifty of the stand in 10.5 overs. Rahul holed out at mid-off off Rabada for 26. The partnership was worth 85 in 16 overs. With Dhoni having joined in, Rohit hoisted his hundred off 128 balls. The half-century of the partnership arrived in 11.2 overs. Dhoni left after scoring 34, the fourth-wicket stand yielding 74 runs from 14.4 overs. Victory was ushered in the company of a trigger-happy Hardik Pandya. Man-of-the-match Rohit was unbeaten with 122, having been at the crease for 144 deliveries and fired 2 sixes and 13 fours.   

It was a superb showing by India in the face-off with the holders, Australia. Rohit and Dhawan were off to a cautious start before the latter broke free. They raised the half-century in 11.3 overs. Dhawan went to his own fifty off 53 balls. The hundred partnership was posted in 19 overs. A square-cut to the fence took Rohit to his half-century from 61 deliveries. He nicked one from Coulter-Nile that took off and was caught at the wicket by Alex Carey. Hit 57 occupied 70 balls and comprised a six and 3 fours. It was a splendid stand of 127 runs in 22.3 overs. Dhawan went on to hit up 117 (109 balls, 16 fours). India piled up 352 for five. There were a number of fine knocks from the Aussies but no really big one. The target was far too huge, and they were all out for 316 off the last delivery of the innings.

The match with New Zealand was washed out. After the massive build-up, the face-off with Pakistan was a tame affair. Dhawan’s fine century against Australia turned into a bitter-sweet one. During that knock he suffered a thumb injury, which unfortunately put him out of the tournament. It was K.L. Rahul who now opened with Rohit. The fifty came up in 10 overs. Rohit darted to his own half-century off 34 deliveries. The hundred was raised from 17.3 overs. Rahul brought up his fifty in 69 balls. As they were pressing on, Rahul was caught in the covers. His 57 occupied 78 deliveries, hitting 2 sixes and 3 fours. The partnership of 136 runs in 23.5 overs had set up the match nicely for India. Joined by Kohli, Rohit hoisted his century off 85 deliveries. The fifty of the partnership arrived in 8 overs. Rohit was caught at short fine-leg off Hasan Ali for 140. His superb innings spanned 113 balls, embellished with 3 sixes and 14 fours. The stand was worth 98 in 14.3 overs. Kohli scored 77 (65 balls, 7 fours) as India logged up 336 for five. With rain playing a part, Pakistan’s target was 302 from 40 overs. All they could manage was 212 for six.

Rohit was bowled by Mujeeb Ur Rahman for just 1, as Afghanistan restricted India to 224 for eight. Afghanistan were dismissed for 213, with Mohammed Shami taking a hat-trick.

Kemar Roach brought one in, which took a fine inside-edge of Rohit’s bat on the way to Shai Hope. This time he scored 18. India posted 268. West Indies crumbled to 143 all out.

Hosts England put up a formidable 337 for seven. India’s task became difficult with Rahul dismissed without scoring. Kohli, though, was an able ally. The progress was slow, considering the task before them. The half-century of the partnership took 13.5 overs. Kohli was first to his fifty, having faced 59 deliveries. Rohit got to his half-century in 65 balls. The hundred partnership arrived 20.4 overs. The two matched each other stroke-for-stroke. Kohli was caught at backward point. His 66 came off 76 balls with the aid of 7 fours. With Rishabh Pant for company, Rohit raised his third century of the tournament, having taken on 106 deliveries. But after facing three more balls, he was caught behind by Jos Buttler off Chris Woakes for 102, having carved out 15 boundaries. There were rapid-fire cameos from Pant, Hardik Pandya and Dhoni, but India could get only as far as 306 for five, a fine effort but in vain.  

If evidence were required that Rohit was in supreme form, it came in the first over of the encounter with Bangladesh. He pulled Mashrafe Mortaza for a six beyond square-leg. Rahul too was stroking well. They raised the fifty in 8.2 overs. In the following over, both took turns in hammering boundaries off Mortaza. Rohit soon breezed to his half-century from 45 deliveries. The hundred came up in 17.2 overs. A straight six by Rohit posted the 150 off 23.1 overs. Crashing Shakib through the off-side to the pickets, Rohit went to his fourth hundred in this World Cup, emulating Kumar Sangakkara’s feat of 2015. He had faced 90 deliveries. It was a consecutive ton, following his 102 against England. Soon, he was caught in the covers, his 104 composed of 5 sixes and 7 fours. The 180-run partnership spanned 29.2 overs. Rahul scored 77 (92 balls, 1 six, 6 fours). India hit up 314 for nine. There was a spirited chase by Bangladesh but they were all out for 286. Rohit won the man-of-the-match award.

A fine partnership of 124 runs for the fifth wicket between Angelo Mathews (113) and Lahiru Thirimanne (53) enabled Sri Lanka to score 264 for seven. Rohit and Rahul seemed inseparable. The half-century was posted in a matter of 6.5 overs. The first of two sixes took Rohit past fifty off 48 deliveries. The hundred of the innings was up in 18.1 overs. Rahul brought up his half-century in 67 balls. The 150 was reached in 24.4 overs. Rohit hoisted an unprecedented fifth century in a World Cup, being at the crease for 92 deliveries. It was his third successive hundred, and it equalled Sachin Tendulkar’s record six tons in all the World Cup tournaments put together. It was a tremendous show by Rohit Sharma, to the jubilation of his teammates and the Indian supporters. He was out soon, driving into the hands of mid-off. His 103 spanned 94 balls, punctuated by 2 sixes and 14 fours. The partnership yielded 189 runs in 30.1 overs. Rahul went on to score 111 (118 balls, 1 six, 11 fours; India cantered to a seven-wicket victory. Rohit bagged a consecutive man-of-the-match prize, fourth in this World Cup, equalling the feats of Aravinda de Silva in 1996, Lance Klusener in 1999 and Yuvraj Singh in 2011. India topped the ten-team table, edging reigning champions Australia to second place.

New Zealand posted 239 for eight in the semi-final. India’s fond hopes were dashed by the Kiwi pacemen. Rohit, Kohli and Rahul were dismissed for 1 run each by Matt Henry and Trent Boult. The stunned silence in the dressing room turned into dismay as India found themselves six down in 30.3 overs. There was a fighting partnership of 116 runs in 17.2 overs for the seventh wicket between Mahendra Singh Dhoni (50 off 72 balls) and Ravindra Jadeja (77 off 59 balls) but there was just too much to do from the precarious position they had found themselves in. India were bowled out for 221, bowing out of the World Cup in the semi-final for the second time in a row. “We failed to deliver as a team when it mattered, 30 minutes of poor cricket yesterday & that snatched away our chance for the cup,” tweeted a dejected Rohit.

Personally, it was a superb tournament for Rohit Sharma. His aggregate of 648 runs was the highest, averaging 81 in 9 matches at a strike-rate of 98.33. The record five hundreds, four man-of-the-match awards, and rousing opening partnerships with Dhawan and Rahul made it a memorable event for him. Rohit is just 22 runs short of the 1,000 runs mark in the premier tournament, having played 17 matches, averaging 65.20 at 95.97 runs per 100 balls, and holding the joint record of six centuries. Now at the helm of the Indian team, there is much to look forward to for Rohit Sharma when the World Cup is contested at home in 2023.

(Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming book ‘Cricket World Cup: Hat-trick of Home Wins’).

Road to the Cricket World Cup 2023. Hall of Fame: Kane Williamson

 Quiet and classy, one of New Zealand’s greats

Player-of-the-tournament in the 2019 World Cup, skipper Kane Williamson’s valiant New Zealand team was runner-up in a photo finish.

ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BATTING: Matches 23, Innings 22, Not Out 6, Highest Score 148, Runs 911, Average 56.93, Strike-rate 78.33, 100s 2, 50s 3, Catches 9

Calm, under-stated, dignified, arguably the greatest New Zealand batsman ahead of the likes of Martin Crowe, Stephen Fleming and Bert Sutcliffe, Kane Williamson is one of the contemporary greats. Impressive as they are, mere statistics do not do complete justice to his technically correct batsmanship bereft of histrionics. In a sense he is a throwback to an era long gone, though in a modern avatar.

Still not 21 years old in the 2011 World Cup, Williamson appeared late in the tournament, coming in at no. 6 against lowly-rated Canada. He put on 59 for the sixth wicket with Scott Styris in 5.5 overs, and an unbroken 40 in just two overs with a belligerent James Franklin. Williamson was unbeaten with 34 off 27 deliveries with four boundaries. New Zealand piled up 358 for six. Canada gave a good account of themselves, finishing on 261 for nine.

Sri Lanka posted a formidable 265 for nine. The wily Muttiah Muralitharan beat Williamson off a straighter one and had him stumped by Kumar Sangakkara for 5. The Kiwis packed up for 153.

There was course correction in the quarter-final against the Proteas, Williamson added 32 for the sixth wicket with Nathan McCullum in 6.4 overs, and returned with 38 not out to his name, having squared up to 41 deliveries and hit a six and a four. New Zealand totalled 221 for eight but all that South Africa could manage was 172.

The Lankans were too good once again in the semi-final. New Zealand could only muster 217. Williamson hit up 22 off 16 balls punctuated with 3 fours in a 31-run stand with Styris in 4.2 overs. Sri Lanka won by five wickets with 13 deliveries to spare.

Williamson’s 99 runs in four matches came at an average of 49.50 with a strike-rate of 107.60. There was not much else a youngster could do batting at four down.

The opportunity of redemption in the premier event came very quickly, in the opening fixture of the very next edition, on home soil of Christchurch, in 2015. Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum carted the Sri Lankan attack to all parts of Hagley Oval, raising 111 in 15.5 overs. Now batting at no. 3, Williamson added 57 for the third wicket with Ross Taylor in 11.1 overs. Having cruised steadily, Williamson stepped on the accelerator. He brought up his fifty off 59 deliveries. He was brilliantly caught by Dimuth Karunaratne in the long-on region off Jeevan Mendis for 57, having faced 70 balls, embellished with a six and five boundaries. New Zealand hoisted 331 for six. Sri Lanka could manage just 233.

The Kiwis struggled to overhaul a modest Scottish total of 142. Williamson was joined by Grant Elliott at 66 for three. They put on 40 in 7.1 overs before Williamson was caught behind off the inner edge. His 38 came off 45 deliveries, having struck six boundaries. Wickets continued to tumble, and New Zealand were able to clinch victory by just three wickets.

There was an easy win as Tim Southee ran through the English line-up with a haul of seven for 33, the third-best figures in the World Cup. England capsized for 123. There was not much left for others after scintillating hitting by skipper Brendon McCullum. He smashed the fastest fifty in the World Cup off just 18 balls, and third fastest ever in One-day Internationals. His 77 off 25 deliveries contained 7 sixes and 8 fours. Williamson was unbeaten on 9 as New Zealand coasted to an eight-wicket win.

The Aussies too could put up just 151, this time Trent Boult bagging five for 27. McCullum played another blistering innings, racing to his fifty off just 21 balls, the joint third-fastest in the showpiece event. Williamson put on 38 in 3.5 overs for the second wicket with McCullum, and 52 in 11.2 overs for the fifth wicket with Corey Anderson. As Williamson stood steadfast, wickets tumbled at the other end, Mitchell Starc ripping out six for 28. With six runs still remaining, last man Trent Boult had the unenviable task of staving off a hat-trick by Starc. He saw off two deliveries. Immediately soothing frayed nerves, Williamson slammed Pat Cummins for a six over long-on. He emerged on top in a high-tension battle, returning unconquered with 45, having taken on 42 deliveries and struck 5 fours in addition to the winning six. It was a dramatic one-wicket win, the sixth such instance in the World Cup.

Chasing Afghanistan’s 186, McCullum was once again on the rampage. He blasted 42 off 19 deliveries. Williamson then got together in a 58-run partnership in 12.5 overs for the second wicket with Guptill. Williamson was caught at mid-wicket for 33 off 45 balls, having stroked four boundaries. New Zealand carved out a six-wicket victory.

The last pool match brought Williamson his first failure of the tournament. After Bangladesh had hoisted a formidable 288 for seven, Shakib Al Hasan snared him for just 1, dismissed for a single-digit score for the first time in 24 innings in One-day Internationals. Spurred by a century by Guptill, New Zealand pulled off a three-wicket triumph with seven balls to spare. They had won all their six pool matches.

The quarter-final against the West Indies was dominated by Guptill’s astonishing unbeaten 237, the highest score in the World Cup. He and Williamson put on 62 in 11.4 overs for the second wicket. Williamson was caught in the covers for 33, having squared up to 35 balls and hit five boundaries. There was a huge 143-run win for New Zealand.

In a high-scoring rain-interrupted semi-final, New Zealand edged out South Africa with just one ball remaining, entering their first World Cup final. Williamson, though, played on to his stumps for just 6.

The final was a one-sided affair, Australia cruising to a seven-wicket triumph. Williamson was caught and bowled for just 12.

After a consistent run through most of the tournament, though bereft of tall scores, Williamson had a lean trot towards the end. His 234 runs in 9 matches came at an average of 33.42 and strike-rate of 78. It may not have been a brilliant performance but he played a vital role at no. 3 after the histrionics of McCullum and the prolific shows of Guptill.

The opening face-off in 2019 was again with Sri Lanka, and once more the Kiwis trounced them, this time by 10 wickets.

Now at the helm, Williamson steered his team to a narrow two-wicket win over a spirited Bangladesh side. Facing a target of 245, Williamson allied with Ross Taylor (82 runs, 91 balls, 9 fours) in a 105-run third-wicket stand in 21.1 overs. After Williamson departed for a painstaking 42, complied in 72 deliveries with just one boundary, there was a steady fall of wickets as New Zealand trudged home with 17 deliveries to spare.

There were no surprises from the Afghans who were bowled out for 172. Williamson was in early as Guptill was dismissed first ball. He saw his side to an easy seven-wicket victory, aided by useful stands with Colin Munro, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham. Williamson’s unbeaten 79 came off 99 balls studded with 9 fours.

With the game against India washed out, New Zealand edged out South Africa in a rain-hit match by four wickets with just three deliveries remaining. Chasing South Africa’s 241 for six in the allotted 49 overs, Williamson played a stellar knock. He added 60 with Guptill in 12.5 overs. Having given himself time to settle in, Williamson raised his fifty off 72 deliveries. There was a 57-run fifth-wicket stand in 14.1 overs with James Neesham, and another for the next wicket with a belligerent Colin de Grandhomme yielding 91 runs in 14.5 overs. With 5 balls remaining, and Williamson on 96 with 7 runs still required, he slammed Andile Phehlukwayo high over mid-wicket for a six. He then dabbed the next to the backward point boundary. It was a classy display, his 106 spanning 138 deliveries embellished with nine boundaries in addition to the six. There was no other contender for the man-of-the-match award.

The masterclass continued as Williamson crafted a superb 148 off the Caribbean attack. New Zealand lurched with Guptill bagging another first-ball duck, and Munro also dismissed for nought, by Sheldon Cottrell in the first over. Williamson resurrected the innings with Ross Taylor. The duo put on 160 in 33.4 overs, matching each other run for run, bringing up their half-centuries within a delivery of each other. Taylor fell for 69 but Williamson cruised blissfully. A pull to the fine-leg fence took him to a consecutive hundred, compiled over 124 balls. He shifted gears, putting the bowling to the sword. Finally top-edging one to be taken by the keeper, his delightful essay spread over 154 balls contained a six and 14 fours. New Zealand hoisted 291 for eight. A swashbuckling 122-run stand between Chris Gayle and Shimron Hetmyer and a scintillating century by Carlos Brathwaite turned it into an edge-of-the-seat thriller. With six required, Brathwaite was brilliantly caught by Trent Boult on the long-on boundary off the last ball of the 49^th over. It was a successive man-of-the-match prize for the jubilant Williamson.

The first reverse in the tournament came at the hands of Pakistan. Wickets tumbled regularly, and soon New Zealand found themselves in a strife at 46 for four in the 13^th over. Williamson found an able ally in Neesham. They added 37 in 13.5 overs before Williamson was caught behind for 41. He had squared up to 69 deliveries and struck 4 fours. Neesham and de Grandhomme added 132 to carry the side to a respectable 237 for six. That was not enough as an unbeaten century by Babar Azam took Pakistan to a six-wicket victory with five balls to spare.

The downturn continued as the Aussies handed out another defeat. After posting 243 for nine, disrupted by a Trent Boult hat-trick, their bowlers kept a stranglehold on the Kiwis. Williamson partnered with Ross Taylor in a 55-run third-wicket stand in 12.3 overs. He was caught at the wicket once again as Mitchell Starc angled one away to bag the first of his five wickets. Williamson top-scored with 40 off 51 deliveries punctuated by 2 fours and a six over mid-wicket. New Zealand were bowled out for 157.

A consecutive hundred by Jonny Bairstow powered England to a formidable 305 for eight. After the two openers left with just 14 on the board, Williamson and Taylor tried to resurrect the innings. They added 47 before tragedy struck as both were run out after playing cameos. Williamson was desperately unlucky to be caught out of his crease at the non-striker’s end, having scored 27 off 40 balls and hit three boundaries. Soon Taylor fell short going for a non-existent second. New Zealand could manage only 186.

They managed to qualify for the semi-finals, edging out Pakistan on run-rate. The firm of Williamson and Taylor were once again in business, putting on 65 for the third wicket in 17 overs. Williamson holed out for 67, having squared up to 95 deliveries and crafted six boundaries. On 74, Taylor was unfortunate to be run out for a second successive time, victim of a brilliant direct strike by the irrepressible Ravindra Jadeja. New Zealand put up 239 for eight. The Indian top-order was rocked, slumping to 5 for three. From there they hardly looked in the hunt despite some scintillating hitting by Jadeja. They were bowled out for 221.

The final was the stuff of legend, a thriller that kept everybody on tenterhooks with incredible twists and turns. Just as New Zealand seemed to have the match under control, an overthrow ricocheting to the boundary off a diving Ben Stokes’ bat, turned it around. The game was tied, so was the super over. A boundary countback gave the title to England. For the record, Williamson and Henry Nicholls put on 74 for the second wicket in 16.2 overs. Williamson was snapped up by the keeper, having scored 30 off 53 balls with two boundaries. Nicholls scored a half-century and New Zealand clocked 241 for eight. Stokes was unbeaten with 84 as nos. 10 and 11 were run out off the last two deliveries. The super over produced 15 runs each. Stokes was man-of-the-match, and the consistent Williamson was pronounced player-of-the-series for his 578 runs and inspirational captaincy that almost clinched the Cup for his country.

An average of 82.57, strike-rate of almost 75, two hundreds and two fifties made for a fine show, in keeping with his stature as one of the top contemporary batsmen. In all, Williamson is just 89 runs short of the 1,000 runs mark in the World Cup at 56.93 per innings and 78.33 runs per 100 balls.

Unassuming as a man, touch of class with the bat, Kane Williamson bids fair to make a mark as a legend of New Zealand cricket, having already led his team to the first World Test Championship in 2021. “He took the Blackcaps to unprecedented success, he brought so much consistency of high performance to that side, right throughout all forms of the game he’s achieved so much,” was his former skipper Brendon McCullum’s glowing accolade for Williamson on Senz Mornings radio show. Doubtlessly, there is still so much more for him to accomplish.

(Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming book ‘Cricket World Cup: Hat-trick of Home Wins’).

Road to the Cricket World Cup 2023. Hall of Fame: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

 Inspirational captain, one of the greats of modern cricket

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a winner all the way.

ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BATTING AND WICKETKEEPING: Matches 29, Innings 25, Not Out 7, Highest Score 91*, Runs 780, Average 43.33, Strike-rate 89.96, 50s 5, Catches 34, Stumpings 8 

From a blazing-hot long-haired top-order striker, the metamorphosis of Mahendra Singh Dhoni along the way to a canny finisher, Captain Cool to adoring millions, was remarkable. His place as an all-time great wicketkeeper-batsman is secure, as is his slot among the most successful leaders in all formats of the game. He led India to the title in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007, saw the side climb to no. 1 spot in Test matches, and won the 2011 One-day World Cup. No legend of the sport is as unassuming and matter-of-fact about his fabulous achievements as is MS. Success rests lightly on his shoulders. True to type, his departure from the international scene was as subtle, and with no flourish, as the man himself.

Though he was out for a duck in the upset by Bangladesh on first appearance in the 2007 World Cup, Dhoni caught Tamim Iqbal, and stumped Shakib Al Hasan and the captain Habibul Bashar. As India made merry off the friendly Bermuda bowling, Dhoni hit 29 off 25 deliveries and took a catch to send back the burly Dwayne Leverock. With the side struggling to stay in the competition, Dhoni caught three Sri Lankan batsmen but was dismissed for another duck. It was a disastrous tournament for India, knocked out in the first stage.

The tide had turned at home in 2011. Dhoni had risen rapidly to assume captaincy, and India were one of the strong favourites. India piled up 370 for four off the Bangla attack, with Dhoni not getting his turn to bat. Though the Bangladesh batsmen put up strong resistance, the target was far beyond their reach. Dhoni had a stumping to his name.

 In the thrilling high-scoring tie with England, Dhoni hit a rapid-fire 31 off 25 balls, striking a six and 3 fours. He added 69 for the fourth wicket with Yuvraj Singh in 7.4 overs. They were out within a ball of each other. With the last five wickets falling in a heap after their departure, India were a bit disappointed that they did not get more than 338, and could not build on Sachin Tendulkar’s superb 120 (115 balls, 5 sixes, 10 fours). With skipper Andrew Strauss leading the way with a brilliant 158 (145 balls, 1 six, 18 fours), England finished on the same score with eight wickets down.

 India overcame Ireland with relative ease, Dhoni pouching three catches in a total of 207. With four wickets down for 100 in 23.4 overs, Dhoni combined once again with Yuvraj, putting on 67 in 16.3 overs. He scored a restrained 34 from 68 deliveries, hitting two boundaries. Yuvraj (50 not out) brought up victory in an unfinished stand of 43 with Yusuf Pathan (30 not out) in 5.5 overs.

 It was a similar outing with Holland. Dhoni took a catch and was a participant in two run outs in a score of 189. He was once more in tandem with Yuvraj, ushering in a five-wicket win in an unbroken partnership of 52 in 13.2 overs. Yuvraj was unbeaten with 51 and Dhoni with 19.

Once again, after a magnificent 111 (101 balls, 3 sixes, 8 fours) by Tendulkar, the lower-order capsized against South Africa. Dhoni was a bystander as the last five wickets crashed for 16 runs in 5.4 overs, with another 1.2 overs remaining. He returned in disbelief, 12 not out against his name as Dale Steyn did the damage with five for 50 in 9.4 overs. In fact, when Tendulkar was out, the score was 267 for two in 39.4 overs. From there India collapsed to 296 all out in 48.4 overs. The Proteas were solid through the order and broke away to register an exciting three-wicket victory with just two deliveries to spare. If only the lower half of the Indian batting had held out a bit longer! Dhoni registered a catch, a run out and a stumping.

India needed to regroup. Spurred by a fine hundred by Yuvraj (113 runs, 123 balls, 2 sixes, 10 fours), India posted 268 but again being bowled out inside the 50 overs. Dhoni and Yuvraj put on 45 for the fourth wicket in 9.2 overs. Dhoni scored 22 off 30 deliveries. West Indies were dismissed for 188, with Dhoni having a stumping to his name.

The quarter-final was a battle of prestige as Australia looked for their fourth straight title, their long unbeaten streak going back to 1999 already breached by Pakistan in their previous match. A hundred of sheer class by skipper Ricky Ponting (104 runs, 118 balls, 1 six, 7 fours), enabled the Aussies to post 260 for six. Some determined batting through the order by India saw them home by five wickets with 14 balls to spare. Dhoni, though, was dismissed for 7.

The sizzling, red-hot semi-final against Pakistan was played on a dodgy Mohali pitch. Sachin Tendulkar scored a fortuitous 85 (115 balls, 11 fours) as India posted 260 for nine. Dhoni put together 25 runs off 42 balls, adding a valuable 46 with Tendulkar in 11.3 overs. Pakistan put up a game bid but kept falling behind on the run-rate. They were eventually bowled out for 231 in 49.5 overs with the wickets shared equally by the five bowlers. Dhoni snapped up a catch.

 

The final at the Wankhede Stadium was a closely-contested faceoff. A tremendous unbeaten 103 (88 balls, 13 fours) by Mahela Jayawardene spurred Sri Lanka to hoist 274 for six. If would be the highest winning score in a World Cup final if India were to achieve it. There was disbelief as Virender Sehwag was trapped leg-before by Lasith Malinga off the second delivery for a duck. Then in the seventh over, there was stunned silence as Tendulkar edged Malinga into the gloves of skipper Kumar Sangakkara. It was 31 for two, and Tendulkar gone for 18. Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli put on 83 in 15.3 overs.

Then there was the stirring sight of captain Dhoni striding out briskly, promoting himself ahead of Yuvraj, to join Gambhir. It was a defining moment in the match. Having settled down, they began striking the boundaries. Dhoni slammed Muttiah Muralitharan through the covers to the fence, reaching his half-century from 52 deliveries. The century partnership came up in 17.5 overs. Just when it seemed that they were sailing, Gambhir had a rush of blood. He dashed out to Thisara Perera, had a big swing, missed and was castled. His superb 97 had come off 122 balls, embellished with 9 fours. They had put on 109 in 19.4 overs. There were now 52 runs to get in 8.4 overs as Yuvraj walked in. Dhoni slashed Perera high above point for a six. They struck a four each in the 47th over off Nuwan Kulasekara. In the next over Dhoni found the pickets at square-leg off two successive deliveries from Malinga. There were now only 7 runs required from 15 balls. The roar of excitement in the stadium could be heard a long distance away. And then with 4 needed in 11 deliveries, in a moment frozen in eternity, Dhoni swung Kulasekara high over long-on for a six. Wankhede Stadium erupted, as did all of India, and all Indians around the globe. India became the first team to win the World Cup on home soil. Dhoni returned triumphant with 91 to his name, having faced just 79 balls and hammered 2 sixes and 8 fours. He was man-of-the-match. Player-of-the-tournament Yuvraj Singh was unbeaten with 21 off 24 balls, having struck 2 fours. It was an exhilarating night as Dhoni lifted the gleaming ICC Trophy.

The opening clash for the defending champions in 2015 was against arch-rivals Pakistan. Virat Kohli’s hundred and his century partnerships with Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina carried India to 300 for seven. Dhoni scored 18 off 13 balls with a six and a four. Once Pakistan had lost five wickets for 103 at almost the half-way stage, they were never in the hunt. They folded up for 224. There were three catches for Dhoni.

It was Dhawan’s ton against the Proteas and his three-figure stands with Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane that took India to 307 for seven. Dhoni again got 18 runs, this time from 11 deliveries containing three boundaries, South Africa were bowled out for 177. Dhoni was involved in two run outs.

India skittled United Arab Emirates for 102, the lowest they dismissed a side for in the World Cup. Dhoni caught both the openers. India cruised to a nine-wicket win in 18.5 overs.

West Indies were bowled out for 182. Had it not been for skipper Jason Holder’s 57 at no. 9, their plight would have been much worse. Dhoni pouched two catches. India were in some strife at 78 for four after 17.5 overs when Dhoni walked in. There were two brief partnerships with Raina and Ravindra Jadeja, and then an unbroken 51-run stand in 9.4 overs with Ravichandran Ashwin that carried the side to victory. Dhoni was unbeaten with 45, having faced 56 deliveries and struck a six off Andre Russell and 3 fours.   

The Irish posted a respectable 259 in 49 overs. Dhoni caught two of them. With Dhawan hitting another century, India ran away with the game, winning by eight wickets in a mere 36.5 overs. With 12 victories in World Cup matches, Dhoni overtook Kapil Dev’s mark of 11 wins as captain.

Brendan Taylor’s consecutive hundred, a brilliant 138 in 110 balls with 5 sixes and 15 fours, spurred Zimbabwe to a formidable total of 287 in 48.5 overs. Dhoni was not to be left out of the action with two early catches. There was a tremendous unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 196 in 26 overs between Raina and Dhoni after India had slumped to 92 for four in 22.4 overs. Dhoni got into the groove with two successive boundaries off Solomon Mire on either side of the wicket. With the required rate climbing to almost 10, there was a spate of sixes and fours. The century stand came in 16.5 overs. Dhoni raised his half-century off 56 deliveries. Raina sped to his hundred in 94 balls. Dhoni slammed Tawanda Mupariwa for a six over long-on and a four to long-leg off successive balls. And then he banged a short one from Tinashe Panyangara over square-leg to bring up victory with eight balls to spare. It was India’s highest partnership in a run-chase, bettering the 174-run stand between Dhawan and Rohit Sharma against Ireland four days earlier.  An upset seemed a distinct possibility when the pair came together. Raina hit up 110 off 104 balls, having struck 4 sixes and 9 fours. Dhoni slammed 85 from 76 deliveries, banging 2 sixes and 8 fours. India’s score of 288 for four was their highest batting second in the World Cup.

The quarter-final was a no-contest with India hitting up 302 for six. Rohit Sharma struck a fine hundred and was associated in a century stand with Raina. Dhoni was dismissed for 6. Bangladesh could muster only just 193. Dhoni snapped up four catches. India bowled out their opponents for the seventh successive match, all in this tournament, the most by any team in the World Cup. They also clinched their 11th consecutive win in the World Cup beginning 20th March 2011, second after Australia’s amazing streak of 25 successive triumphs from 20th June 1999 to 25th February 2011. This was Dhoni’s 100th victory as captain in One-day Internationals, emulating the Australians Allan Border (107) and Ricky Ponting (165).

India ran out of steam in the semi-final, losing by 95 runs to Australia. Chasing 329, India were 108 for four in 23 overs when Dhoni entered the arena. He put on 70 with Ajinkya Rahane in 14.2 overs. He reached his fifty off 55 deliveries with a tremendous six over the covers and smashed one more over long-off off the next ball. He was run out for a run-a-ball 65, having struck 2 sixes and 3 fours. By then it was an impossible task and India were bowled out for 233. It was a wonderful run in the tournament prior to this semi-final. Dhoni put in a fine performance with 237 runs in 6 innings at an average of 59.25 and strike-rate of 102.15, and as many as 15 catches in the 8 matches.

By 2019, touching 38 years of age, Dhoni appeared a bit leaden-footed at the crease, and seemed to have lost his nimbleness. He was still his reliable and unobtrusive self behind the stumps, and as always put in a hundred percent effort to the cause of the side under a new leader, Virat Kohli. It was a clinical performance by India in their opening encounter with the Proteas. Restricting the opponents to 227 for nine, they sauntered to their target, losing just four wickets and with 2.3 overs to spare. There was a stumping by Dhoni. With the bat he allied with Rohit Sharma at 139 for three after 31.3 overs. They kept the scoreboard ticking, ahead of the required rate. Rohit brought up his century in 128 balls. The fifty partnership was raised in 11.1 overs. Dhoni was caught and bowled off a skier for 34, scored off 46 deliveries with two boundaries. The stand was worth 74 in 14.4 overs. There were now just 15 runs required from 23 balls. A few big blows by the new man Hardik Pandya were enough to bring up a comfortable win and provide India a fine start to the tournament. Rohit was unbeaten with a classy 122, having taken on 144 balls and embellished with 2 sixes and 13 fours.

In a high-scoring game, India prevailed over reigning champions Australia. This time Shikhar Dhawan hit up a century. Dhoni slammed a rapid-fire 27 off 14 deliveries with a six off Mitchell Starc and three fours. He put on 37 with Kohli for the fourth wicket in 3.2 overs, being caught and bowled once again. India posted a huge 352 for five. Australia were restricted to 316, Dhoni snapping up a catch.

The fixture with New Zealand was washed out. Then followed the needle encounter with Pakistan. Rohit Sharma struck his second hundred of the tournament, a superb 140 off 113 balls, studded with 3 sixes and 14 fours. India hit up 336 for five. Dhoni was caught behind for 1. With a rain interruption, Pakistan’s target was adjusted to 302 in 40 overs. They managed 212 for six. This was India’s seventh win over Pakistan in the World Cup in as many matches, going back to 1992.

India made heavy weather of their game versus Afghanistan. They put up 224 for eight. Dhoni put on 57 with Kedar Jadhav for the fifth wicket in 14 overs. He was stumped off leg-spinner Rashid Khan for 28 off 52 deliveries with 3 fours. With Afghanistan at 190 for six, with 27 balls left, there was an outside chance of an upset. That was when Dhoni stumped Rashid Khan. There were 16 runs to win off the last over with three wickets left. Mohammad Nabi slammed a boundary off the first delivery, followed by a dot. Then Mohammed Shami grabbed a hat-trick to soothe the frayed Indian nerves.

The scare at the hands of Afghanistan must have jolted the Indian squad. They were back to their best as they faced the West Indies. Dhoni joined Kohli at 140 for four after 28.5 overs. They added 40 in 9.3 overs. In another fine stand, Dhoni added 70 with Hardik Pandya from just 10 overs. Dhoni was on 40 when the last over began. He pulled Oshane Thomas for a six over mid-wicket. He slammed another for four at long-off to bring up his half-century in 59 deliveries. The last ball was also short, and he bludgeoned it for six over square-leg. Dhoni returned unbeaten with 56 off 61 balls, having struck 2 sixes and 3 fours. India posted a competitive 268 for seven. West Indies folded up for 143, Mohammed Shami bagging a successive four-wicket haul.  

England prevailed in a match of tall scores. They logged up 337 for seven, Mohammed Shami captured five for 69, his third consecutive haul of four or five wickets. He became the quickest to capture 30 wickets in the World Cup, in just 10 matches. Rohit Sharma carved out his third century of the tournament, and Kohli hit up his fifth consecutive fifty. With the required-rate already above 10 runs an over, Dhoni added 41 for the fifth wicket with Hardik Pandya in 5.4 overs, and another unfinished 39 with Kedar Jadhav in 5.1 overs, but the overs ran out with India 31 short of the English total. Dhoni was 42 not out off just 31 deliveries, having struck a six off Chris Woakes in the last over and four boundaries.

Built on an opening partnership of 180 runs in 29.2 overs between Rohit and Lokesh Rahul, India hoisted 314 for nine off the Bangladesh attack. It was a consecutive hundred for Rohit, his fourth ton in this World Cup, emulating Kumar Sangakkara’s feat of 2015. Dhoni added 40 with a belligerent Rishabh Pant in 5.3 overs. Dhoni scored 35 in 33 balls with four boundaries. Bangladesh made a game bid but were bowled out for 286 in 48 overs with a catch coming Dhoni’s way.

Sri Lanka put up 264 for seven. Dhoni accounted for the first four batsmen, three catches and a stumping. India’s opening partnership of 189 runs in 30.1 overs between Rahul and Rohit virtually settled the issue. Both hit up centuries, Rohit’s record fifth in this World Cup and third in succession. It was a seven-wicket triumph, with Dhoni not getting his turn to bat. India topped the league table with 15 points.

In the semi-final, New Zealand put up 239 for eight, with Dhoni pouching a catch. India made a disastrous start, 5 for three, 24 for four, 71 for five in 22.5 overs when Dhoni entered the scene, and 92 for six in 30.3 overs when he was joined by Ravindra Jadeja. There were 148 more runs required in 19.3 overs at a rate of almost 7.60. It was an uphill task. Jadeja showed his intent by slamming James Neesham for a huge six over long-on off his sixth delivery. He crashed another one off Mitchell Santner. The half-century of the partnership came in 8.4 overs. There were 90 required off the last 10 overs. Jadeja crashed Santner for his third six, and blasted another one off a slower one from Lockie Ferguson. The hundred of their stand came in 15 overs. The required-rate, though, was only climbing, 12.33 at the end of the 47th over. Jadeja was caught at long-off. His brilliant 77 came off 59 balls, having struck 4 fours besides the 4 sixes. In the next over, Dhoni slashed Ferguson for a six. He was run out going for a second run, a brilliant piece of fielding by Martin Guptill. He had scored a hard-fought 50 against the odds, with just a four besides the six. The ageing legend was not able to pull it off this time. India were all out for 221 in 49.3 overs. They had come close from a hopeless situation, thanks to the stellar efforts of Jadeja and Dhoni, but had to exit at the penultimate stage for the second time in a row.

In the evening of his career, Dhoni had given his all. A tally of 273 runs in 8 innings at an average of 45.50 and strike-rate of 87.78, and 10 dismissals were figures to be proud of. In his World Cup career of 29 matches, Dhoni hit up 780 runs at 43.33 per innings and 89.96 runs per 100 balls, to go with his 34 catches and 8 stumpings. In the World Cup too, he finished not only among the top wicketkeeper-batsmen but as a leader par excellence. The 2011 triumph, and the dramatic shot to clinch it, will forever remain etched in memory.

 As Sunil Gavaskar observed in the India Today Conclave in 2020, “Dhoni was definitely right at the top. The way Dhoni captained, the coolness that he brought in the team is special. His story doesn’t tell you the effort and the struggles that he went through.” How Mahendra Singh Dhoni metamorphosed from humble beginnings to the taciturn colossus of world cricket is the stuff of legend.

(Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming book ‘Cricket World Cup: Hat-trick of Home Wins’).

Road to the Cricket World Cup 2023. Hall of Fame: Shakib Al Hasan

 World-class allrounder, Bangladesh’s finest

ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BATTING: Matches 29, Innings 29, Not Out 4, Highest Score 124*, Runs 1146, Average 45.84, Strike-rate 82.26, 100s 2, 50s 10, Catches 8 

ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BOWLING: Balls 1433, Maidens 2, Runs 1222, Wickets 34, Average 35.94, Best Bowling 5/29, Runs/Over 5.11

The southpaw Shakib Al Hasan’s stock kept rising. Gradually, he was rated among the best allrounders in the world, and arguably Bangladesh’s finest cricketer. His volatile behaviour at times got him into trouble but his performances on the field kept charting a rising curve. His forthright batsmanship and wily left-arm spin built up a fine record for him since his debut in 2006. With nearly 4,500 runs at an average creeping towards 40 and 230 wickets at just above 31 apiece in Test matches, and heading towards 7000 runs at nearly 38 per innings and towards 300 wickets at an average under 30 in One-day Internationals, and with many good years still ahead of him, Shakib is heading towards the galaxy of the greats.

Shakib’s World Cup debut was in the famous upset of India in 2007. Though India were bowled out for 191, Shakib was unable to take a wicket. He, however, did a star turn with the bat, one of three half-centuries by youngsters that contributed to the shock win. After Tamim Iqbal’s aggressive 51 in 53 balls, Shakib combined with Mushfiqur Rahim in a match-winning fourth-wicket stand of 84 in 22.4 overs. The fifty of their partnership came in 15.1 overs. Shakib was stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Virender Sehwag. His 53 had come off 86 deliveries studded with a six and five boundaries. There were just 29 more runs to get. Mushfiqur was unbeaten with 56 (107 balls, 2 sixes, 3 fours) as they brought up a stunning five-wicket victory. The fearlessness of youth had prevailed over a very experienced and accomplished side.

Sri Lanka were relentless, piling up 318 for four. Shakib had Mahela Jayawardene caught at long-off, conceding 49 runs in his 10 overs. This time he was bowled by the great Muttiah Muralitharan for 4, Bangladesh folding up for 112.

It was an easy ride against first-timers Bermuda in a rain-curtailed 21-overs-a-side game. Shakib had Oliver Pitcher caught in the covers, and castled Lionel Cann. These wickets cost him 12 runs in three overs. He was unbeaten with 26 in an unfinished 59-run stand with Mohammad Ashraful as they breezed to a seven-wicket win.

Australia dominated their first super-eight fixture. Bangladesh were able to score only 104 for six in their allotted 22 overs. Shakib was joint top-scorer with 25. Australia breezed to a ten-wicket win. The Kiwis were just as unrelenting, bowling out Bangladesh for 174. Shakib once again scored 25. New Zealand knocked up a nine-wicket victory.

There was, however, a stunning upset of South Africa. Bangladesh posted 251 for eight. Shakib, though, was dismissed for 9. He contributed with the ball in the middle of the Proteas’ innings. He had Mark Boucher caught at long-off, and next ball caught Justin Kemp off his own bowling. Suddenly, South Africa slumped to 87 for six after 26.5 overs. There was a bit of a fightback but it was too little, too late. They were bowled out for 184. Shakib conceded 49 runs in his 10 overs for his two wickets.

Fortunes swung again. As the top-order crumbled against the English, Shakib came to the crease at 26 for three in 7.4 overs. Wickets continued to tumble around him as he dug in. He was able to forge a 47-run seventh-wicket partnership with Mashrafe Mortaza in 13.4 overs. Shakib raised his half-century off 82 balls. He ran out of partners as Bangladesh folded up for 143. Shakib was unbeaten for 57, having faced 95 deliveries, and struck 6 fours besides the six. England had to fight hard to reach this small target, losing six wickets in the process. Shakib was unable to pick up a wicket.

The Irish caused further anguish. They posted a challenging 243 for seven. Shakib had Niall O’Brien caught, playing the reverse sweep. He gave away 44 runs in his 10 overs. Bangladesh lost wickets regularly, Shakib being run out for 3, and slipped to 169 all out. The reverses continued as the West Indies scored 230 for five. Shakib had Marlon Samuels caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim. The wicket cost him 38 runs in 8 overs. The Bangladesh innings never took off and were shot out for 131. Shakib was caught behind for a duck.

Shakib’s two half-centuries were indicative of his promise. He chipped in with a few wickets. His career was taking shape, along with those of several of his young colleagues.

With Virender Sehwag on the rampage in 2011, India piled up a huge 370 for four. Now at the helm, Shakib had Sehwag eventually playing on for 175. He expended 61 runs in 10 overs. Bangladesh put up a game fight. Shakib was associated in two useful partnerships. He added 59 for the third wicket in 9 overs with Tamim Iqbal, and 46 with Mushfiqur Rahim for the fourth wicket in 7.3 overs. He reached his half-century off 47 balls, and trying to raise the tempo was caught at mid-wicket. His 55 spanned 50 deliveries studded with six boundaries. Bangladesh totalled 283 for nine.

It was retribution in the faceoff with the Irish. Though Bangladesh were able to post only 205, they bowled out Ireland for 178. Shakib scored 16. With the ball he had his opposite number William Porterfield caught at mid-wicket. Shakib then had Niall O’Brien taken brilliantly by Tamim Iqbal at square-leg. He gave away 28 runs for those two wickets in his 8 overs.    

There was a disaster at the hands of the West Indies. Shot out for 58, Bangladesh were beaten by nine wickets. Shakib was dismissed for 8.

In a thriller, Bangladesh pipped England by two wickets with just an over to spare. Shakib dismissed top-scorer Jonathan Trott (67), pouched at long-off. He caught Graeme Swann off his own bowling. This time his two wickets cost 49 runs. He put on a crucial 82 runs with Tamim Iqbal for the fourth wicket in 17.2 overs. Shakib’s 32 came off 58 deliveries, having hit just one boundary. Bangladesh lost eight wickets for 169. A resilient unbroken 58-run partnership between Mahmudullah (21 not out) and Shafiul Islam (24 not out) carried them to a nail-biting victory.

As expected, Holland did not provide much resistance. Their cause was not helped by four run outs, Shakib having a hand in two of them. He also claimed the first wicket, trapping Wesley Barresi leg-before, giving away 38 runs in 8 overs. Holland could total only 160. Bangladesh won by six wickets but Shakib was dismissed for 1.

Their last group match was a disaster. South Africa knocked up 284 for eight. Shakib deceived Jacques Kallis with a straighter one and had him caught and bowled. He had Morne van Wyk playing on to another that went on straight, and didn‘t bounce much. Shakib gave away 46 runs. Bangladesh faced the ignominy of being bowled out for under 100 for the second time in the tournament. Shakib was the only one to get into double figures, scoring a resolute, lonely 30 with four boundaries. Bangladesh could muster only 78 runs in 28 overs.

There was not much memorable for Shakib in this World Cup. A half-century and 8 wickets at 27.87 apiece provided some solace, besides the close win over England.

It was an easy opening fixture with Afghanistan in 2015. Shakib featured in a partnership of 114 runs for the fifth wicket in 15.3 overs with Mushfiqur Rahim. They kept the scoreboard ticking. Shakib brought up his fifty from 43 balls. After a few aggressive strikes he was bowled, his 63 coming off 51 deliveries studded with a six and 6 fours. Mushfiqur went on to score 71 (56 balls, 1 six, 6 fours). Bangladesh were bowled out for 267 off the last ball of the 50^th over. Three early wickets set the Afghans back, and though the middle-order battled, the task was overwhelming. Shakib trapped Najibullah Zadran leg-before and had Mirwais Ashraf caught at long-off. Afghanistan folded up for 162. Shakib conceded 43 runs in 8.5 overs.

The match against Australia was washed out. With the top three Sri Lankan batsmen in tremendous form, they hoisted 332 for one. Shakib was wicketless, conceding 55 runs in his 10 overs. Bangladesh were never in the game thereafter, though Shakib and Mushfiqur got together once again in a 64-run stand in 11.1 overs for the sixth wicket. Shakib was caught at long-on for 46, having faced 59 balls and hit a six and 4 fours. Mushfiqur was out for 36. Bangladesh were dismissed for 240.

Kyle Coetzer’s brilliant 156 off 134 deliveries, the highest score by a batsman from an associate member country, carried Scotland to 318 for eight. Opening the bowling, Shakib took the last wicket to fall off the final ball of the innings, having Majid Haq brilliantly caught by Soumya Sarkar at square-leg. He expended 46 runs in his 10 overs. Bangladesh had a fight on their hands, and had to draw on all their resources. Though Sarkar fell early, Tamim Iqbal and Mahmudullah put on 139 for the second wicket. Shakib joined Mushfiqur at 201 for three after 31.3 overs. They added 46 in 6.3 overs. Mushfiqur scored 60 (42 balls, 2 sixes, 6 fours). Once Sabbir Rahman came in there was no looking back. Shakib brought up victory as well as his fifty with a slash above third-man, with 11 balls to spare. This was Bangladesh’s highest chase. Shakib returned with 52 to his name, having faced 51 deliveries, hitting 5 boundaries besides the six. Sabbir was unbeaten with 42 (40 balls, 2 sixes, 4 fours). Rare for one finishing on the losing side, Coetzer deservedly won the man-of-the-match award.

Some fine performances by the Bangladesh players helped beat England in an exciting game. A century by Mahmudullah and his fifth-wicket partnership of 141 runs with Mushfiqur (89) piloted Bangladesh to 275 for seven. Rubel Hossain with four for 53 spearheaded the attack, dismissing England for 260 with 9 deliveries still left. It was not a fruitful outing, though, for Shakib, being dismissed for 2 and returning sans a wicket.

 

Courtesy another fine hundred by Mahmudullah, Bangladesh put up 288 for seven. Shakib was dismissed for a breezy 23 off 18 deliveries. He took the new ball, and had Brendon McCullum caught at long-off. Soon he took another huge wicket, having Kane Williamson taken in the covers. New Zealand were struggling at 33 for two. Martin Guptill knocked up a century, and his partnership of 131 runs for the third wicket with Ross Taylor put New Zealand on course. Shakib had Guptill snapped up at long-on but the Kiwis inched ahead with some useful stands. Shakib induced Luke Ronchi to hit into the hands of cover. The lower-order managed to carry New Zealand over the line with three wickets in hand and 7 balls to spare. Shakib finished with four for 55 in 8.5 overs, his best figures to date in the World Cup, and the first time he had bagged more than two wickets in an innings in the premier event.

 

India were too strong in the quarter-final as they hit up 302 for six. Shakib had opener Shikhar Dhawan stumped, conceding 58 runs in his 10 overs. Bangladesh were bowled out for 193; Shakib being dismissed for 10.

 

Scoring 196 runs in 6 matches at an average of 39.20 and strike-rate of 93.77, Shakib made valuable contributions with the bat. Half of his 8 wickets came in one innings, the average and economy-rate being a bit high at 37.25 and 5.16 respectively.

Shakib was in top form with the bat in 2019, and also bagged his highest number of wickets in any of the four World Cup tournaments. Now batting at no. 3, it gave him ample opportunities to score. Bangladesh were off to a flying start in the opening face-off with South Africa. Shakib came in when the openers had raised 60. Mushfiqur joined him at 75 after 11.4 overs. They put on 142 runs in 23.3 overs, Bangladesh’s highest in the World Cup. Their previous best was 141 for the fifth-wicket between Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim against England in 2015. Shakib brought up his fifty off 54 balls. The hundred partnership was raised in 15.5 overs. They kept the scoreboard ticking without any heroics. Trying to sweep, Shakib was bowled by Imran Tahir. His 75 came off 84 deliveries embellished with a six and 8 fours. Mushfiqur scored 78 (80 balls, 8 fours). Bangladesh went on to total 330 for six, their highest in One-day Internationals. All the Proteas top-order got good starts but none could play a really big innings. Shakib bowled opener Aiden Markram. He achieved the double of 5000 runs and 250 wickets in One-day Internationals, by far the quickest in 199 matches. South Africa could only advance as far as 309 for eight. Shakib finished with one for 50 in 10 overs. It was a fine win for Bangladesh; Shakib was man-of-the-match.

After another useful stand by the openers, Shakib again sparkled with the willow against New Zealand. This time he put on 50 with Mushfiqur in 10.3 overs. Shakib’s half-century was raised in 54 deliveries once again. Shakib was caught behind off Colin de Grandhomme attempting to cut. His 64 had spanned 68 deliveries, and he struck 7 boundaries. Bangladesh posted 244. Shakib cut short the innings of both the Kiwi openers. He had Guptill pouched at long-on, and Colin Munro taken at mid-wicket. New Zealand’s reply was centred around a century partnership between Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, but they lost wickets regularly. For the second time in successive tournaments New Zealand scrambled home, losing eight wickets on this occasion and having played out 47.1 overs. Shakib’s return was two for 47.

England seemed to be seeking retribution for 2015, piling up 386 for six. Again opening the bowling, Shakib was unable to take a wicket, giving away 71 runs. With the bat he was in superb touch. After a 55-run stand with Tamim Iqbal, his comrade-in-arms once again was Mushfiqur. This time the duo added 106 runs for the third wicket in 17 overs. Shakib reached his half-century off 53 deliveries. Finding the boundary regularly, he raised his century in 95 balls. Another partnership of 49 runs in 10 overs with Mahmudullah followed. With the asking-rate hopelessly out of control, having gone beyond the 15 runs an over mark, Shakib decided to up the ante. The task, though, was too great. Ben Stokes yorked him in the next over. His superb knock of 121, carved from 119 deliveries, was embellished with a six and 12 fours. Bangladesh were ultimately bowled out for 280.

The fixture with Sri Lanka was washed out. Led by Shakib, the Bangladesh batting was brilliant in the high-scoring game versus the West Indies. Batting first, the Caribbean line-up hoisted 321 for eight. Shakib broke the second-wicket century stand between Evin Lewis and Shai Hope, getting the former to hole out at long-off. He nipped Nicholas Pooran’s innings in the bud, having him caught at long-on. These two wickets cost Shakib 54 runs in 8 overs. He came in to bat after a half-century stand by the openers. He added 69 with Tamim Iqbal. For a change, Mushfiqur fell early. Then followed a superb match-winning stand with Liton Das. Shakib’s half-century came off 40 deliveries. The hundred partnership was raised in 13.4 overs. A lovely cover-drive brought Shakib his hundred off just 83 deliveries, a brilliant successive ton. With Das matching Shakib stroke for stroke, they ushered in a stirring seven-wicket victory with 8.3 overs to spare, the unbroken stand yielding 189 runs in 22.3 overs. Shakib’s magnificent 124 had occupied only 99 deliveries, punctuated by 16 boundaries. Das blasted 94 off a mere 69 balls, crashing 4 sixes and 8 fours. Bangladesh equalled their highest score in the World Cup. They had scored 322 for four against Scotland in 2015. Shakib reached 6,000 runs in One-day Internationals, the fastest to achieve the double of 6,000 runs and 200 wickets. One more man-of-the-match prize was in his bag.

In another run-spree, Australia logged up 381 for five. Shakib’s analysis was 6-0-50-0. After an early wicket, Shakib and Tamim put on 79 runs in 14.2 overs. Shakib scored a-run-a-ball 41 with four hits to the fence. Despite Mushfiqur’s unbeaten century and his 127-run fifth-wicket stand in 16.1 overs with Mahmudullah, to overhaul the huge Aussie score was an impossible task. Bangladesh, though, put up 333 for eight, their highest score in the World Cup, surpassing their 322 for three in the previous match, and 322 for four against Scotland in 2015.

Shakib was more than a handful for the Afghans. He put on 59 in 12.4 overs for the second wicket with Tamim Iqbal, and 61 in 12.2 overs for the third wicket with Mushfiqur. Shakib got to his half-century off 66 balls. He was trapped leg-before by Mujeeb Ur Rahman for 51, having faced 69 balls and struck just one boundary. Mushfiqur went on to score 83 (87 balls, 1 six, 4 fours), as Bangladesh totalled 262 for seven. Shakib kept striking regularly with the ball, sweeping away the top of the Afghanistan batting. He had Rahmat Shah caught on the pull, and got the captain Gulbadin Naib pouched in the covers. Mohammad Nabi played on to him for a duck. Asghar Afghan tried to sweep him but ended up offering a simple catch. Najibullah Zadran charged him, missed and was stumped by Mushfiqur. Shakib snared five wickets for 29 runs in his 10 overs, as Afghanistan were bowled out for 200. There was no other claimant for the man-of-the-match award.

The star allrounder became the second player to score a fifty and bag a five-wicket haul in a World Cup match. In the 2011 World Cup Yuvraj Singh had captured 5 wickets for 31 runs and hit an unbeaten 50 against Ireland. It was the first time that Shakib achieved this feat in his ODI career. Shakib also became the third player to score a century and pick up a five-wicket haul in a World Cup, as also in the World Cup as a whole. Kapil Dev achieved it in 1983, and Yuvraj Singh in 2011. Both Kapil Dev and Yuvraj Singh were part of World Cups winning teams in 1983 and 2011. Shakib had scored 121 and an unbeaten 124 earlier in this 2019 World Cup. He became the first Bangladesh bowler to bag a five-wicket haul in the World Cup. The previous best bowling analysis for Bangladesh was Shafiul Islam's 4 for 21 against Ireland in 2011. This was Shakib's second five-wicket haul in One-day Internationals.

Bangladesh battled hard but just fell short against India. Built on a huge foundation of a 180-run opening stand, India hoisted 314 for nine. Shakib had Rishabh Pant caught at square-leg, giving away 41 runs. Most of the Bangladesh top-order fell after playing cameos. Several of Shakib’s partnerships too were cut short when looking promising. He raised his fifty from 58 balls. He was caught in the covers for 66 with the aid of six boundaries, having faced 74 balls. The later batsmen battled hard, but Bangladesh were bowled out for 286 with two overs remaining.

A huge second-wicket partnership enabled Pakistan to log up 315 for nine. Shakib was unable to take a wicket, giving away 57 runs. Once again none of his partners was able to put up a big score. Liton Das stayed long enough to forge a 58-run stand in 10.5 overs for the fourth wicket. Shakib reached his half-century in 62 deliveries. He was finally dismissed caught behind trying to square-cut. His 64 came off 77 balls, having struck six boundaries. Bangladesh wound up at 221. They bowed out of the tournament finishing eighth in the ten-team league.

Shakib had a tremendous World Cup with scores of 75, 64, 121, 124 not out, 41, 51, 66 and 64; 606 runs in 8 matches at an average of 86.57 and strike-rate of 96.03, two centuries, five fifties and a 41, a five-wicket haul and three man-of-the-match awards. He took 11 wickets at 36.27 apiece and an economy-rate of 5.39. Shakib achieved the distinction of being the first to score 600 runs and take 10 wickets in a single World Cup. He was delighted with his performance, “From the first match, I had a feeling that something good will happen. I scored well in all opening matches in the previous World Cups but I could not continue doing that. So I had to push myself to not lose the momentum after gaining it. I was not surprised because I knew what I had in my mind. It's just that what happened is the best that I thought could have happened for me.”

Going from strength to strength Shakib has, till the 2019 World Cup, 1146 runs in 29 matches at an average of 45.84 and strike-rate of 82.26. His 34 wickets have come at 35.94 apiece and 5.11 runs an over. He became the first player in World Cup history to aggregate 1000 runs and bag 30 wickets, doubtlessly one of the top allrounders in the premier event.

(Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming book ‘World Cup Odyssey’).

Road to the Cricket World Cup 2023. Hall of Fame: Kumar Sangakkara

 Kumar Sangakkara: Calibrated ascent into the galaxy of greats

Kumar Sangakkara.....class act.

ONE-DAY WORLD CUP BATTING: Matches 37, Innings 35, Not Out 8, Highest Score 124, Runs 1532, Average 56.74, Strike-rate 86.55, 100s 5, 50s 7, Catches 41, Stumpings 13

It would seem that the burden of wicketkeeping had an adverse impact on Kumar Sangakkara’s batting in One-day Internationals. For a batsman of his calibre, for someone who had the strokes, temperament and the right attitude, it was a matter of time that his average and strike-rate rose in the World Cup and One-dayers overall. His class is borne out by an average of above 57 in Test matches with 12,400 runs and 38 hundreds under his belt. With his One-day average touching almost 42, and an aggregate above 14,000 runs with a strike-rate of nearly 80, Sangakkara corrected the anomaly. The left-handed stalwart, needless to say, finds a place in the pantheon of the greats.

Sri Lanka began well in the 2003 World Cup with a fine win over New Zealand and two victories over the minnows, with Sangakkara hardly in evidence with the bat, but snapping up a number of catches behind the stumps. Then came that shock defeat at the hands of Kenya at Nairobi, with Sangakkara failing too, dismissed for 5 by man-of-the-match Collins Obuya. Even as Sri Lanka pulled off a thrilling six-run win over the West Indies, Sangakkara’s bat failed to dazzle, and the tale continued in the tied game with hosts South Africa. Sri Lanka qualified for the super-sixes.

The rampaging Australians were unstoppable, but Sangakkara attempted to resurrect the innings with a 52-run fifth-wicket stand with the brilliant Aravinda de Silva, after Sanath Jayasuriya had retired hurt from a Brett Lee thunderbolt. Just when Sangakkara was finding form, he was run out for 20.

India too were in the midst of a golden run and they decimated Sri Lanka. After piling up 292 for six, the Indian pacemen had the Lankans on the mat. Sangakkara walked in at 15 for four after 3.4 overs. He tried to fight his way out of trouble, scoring 30 of the 44 runs that came while he was at the crease. He was sixth out, having hit four boundaries. Sri Lanka slumped to 78 for nine, before a rollicking last-wicket stand carried them to 109. It was a humiliating 183-run defeat.

After being singed in the previous two matches, there was respite against Zimbabwe. Sangakkara was striking the ball beautifully, putting on 52 for the fourth wicket with opener Marvan Atapattu in just 6.2 overs. But again, Sangakkara fell when he was promising much. He hit 35 off 25 deliveries with 4 fours. With this easy win Sri Lanka were through to the semi-finals.

It was a tricky St. George’s Park pitch, and Australia were restricted to 212 for seven, with Sangakkara snapping up three catches and effecting a stumping. Sri Lanka were never in the game. Sangakkara came in at 43 for four and kept losing his partners. He was into the only partnership of significance for the eighth wicket with Chaminda Vaas when the rain came down. Sangakkara was unbeaten on 39 in a score of 123 for seven, well behind on the Duckworth-Lewis system. Sri Lanka were out of the tournament even as Sangakkara’s form improved towards the later stages. To be fair, he batted mostly at no. 6, where he was either fighting with his back to the wall or was required to accelerate the scoring-rate. A batsman of his ability needed to bat higher up the order. He did a commendable job behind the sticks, claiming 17 victims.

The 2007 World Cup was a topsy-turvy tournament and performances against a team like Bermuda counted for nothing. Every Sri Lankan batsman got into stride, and Sangakkara put up his highest score hitherto of 76 in the premier event.

Bangladesh had shocked India, but the Sri Lankan batsmen were again on song. Sangakkara, now batting at no. 4, strode in at 137 for one after Jayasuriya twisted his knee and limped off. He put on 65 with Mahela Jayawardene, and 59 with Chamara Silva, before holing out to long-on. Sangakkara scored 56 off 55 balls, putting his team well on the way to a total in excess of 300. It was another big win for Sri Lanka as Sangakkara took three catches.

He would stand up to the stumps regularly while keeping to the pacemen. He explained, “If you’re bowling at under 140 kph, batsmen will take it upon themselves to walk up the track and take it at length. It doesn’t matter so long as you train with that in mind. You’ve got the helmet and you’ve got the pads, so all you need is to hone your skills.”

India desperately needed to win their last Group B match. Sri Lanka scored 254 for six, giving them a fair chance, with Sangakkara falling for 15. But the much-vaunted Indian line-up was not up to the task. The two sub-continental Big Brothers, India and Pakistan, were bundled out of the prestigious tournament after the brief first stage, stunning the cricketing world. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, had done all that was asked of them.

Their first super-six fixture was the thriller against South Africa. The Lankans could not build any worthwhile partnership at the top. Sangakkara played himself in and then lost his wicket for 28. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Russel Arnold scored half-centuries to lift the total beyond the 200 mark. After Lasith Malinga had created a flutter with an incredible four wickets off successive balls, the last pair got South Africa home with 10 balls to spare. 

After this jolt, Sri Lanka went on to trounce hosts West Indies. Sangakkara, though, now batting at no. 3 fell for just 7. 

The game against England was a thriller, with Sri Lanka scraping home by 2 runs off the last delivery. Sangakkara could still not get going, being dismissed for 17.

The Lankans were now irresistible. They restricted New Zealand to 219 for seven. This time the real Sangakkara came to the fore. He put on exactly a hundred for the second wicket with Jayasuriya, and then saw his side home to a comfortable triumph through a series of handy partnerships. It was a polished unbeaten 69 from him spanning 104 deliveries and comprising 3 boundaries.

Now came the big test against the unstoppable Aussies, and Sri Lanka failed for the first time in the tournament. Sangakkara was trapped leg-before by the peerless Glenn McGrath for a duck. The penny had to drop sometime, and it did when most expected.

What a relief it was, then, to be playing Ireland next, but Sangakkara could not capitalize, falling after scoring just 10. Sri Lanka were already seen as the second-best team in the tournament, and they took their rightful place in the semi-finals.

They met New Zealand, put up a strong total of 289 for five, but Sangakkara continued to frustrate his fans, this time losing his wicket for 18. The Kiwis could not conjure a fight and Sri Lanka entered their second World Cup final.

Australia were too strong for all comers in this tournament, and Adam Gilchrist batted them to the title in this truncated game with a breathtaking century. After Upul Tharanga fell early, Sangakkara put up a stirring fight in the company of Jayasuriya. They added 116 for the second wicket in 17.4 overs. Sangakkara struck 6 fours and a stupendous six off McGrath, skipping down the wicket and lofting him over mid-wicket. It was sweet revenge for that dismissal for nought in the super-eight stage. The asking-rate, though, was very steep. Sangakkara brought up a run-a-ball fifty, slammed Brad Hogg to the extra-cover boundary, but then hit the next delivery into the hands of Ricky Ponting at mid-wicket. He had carved out 54 runs off 52 deliveries with 6 fours and that six. Sri Lanka now faded away quickly, just as the light did, and Australia lifted their third straight World Cup title after some blundering by the umpires. His best innings had come right at the end. It could not win the World Cup for his team, but it left his admirers wondering what might have been.

            Sangakkara was in superb form throughout the 2011 World Cup. Now leading the side, he put up a huge 179-run third-wicket stand with Jayawardene in the lung-opener with minnows Canada in the south-eastern resort town of Hambantota. Sangakkara missed his century, caught and bowled by John Davison for 92, laced with 7 fours and a six, and having faced 87 deliveries. Jayawardene scored a round 100 (81 balls, 9 fours, 1 six), before Davison dismissed him too. Sri Lanka totalled 332 for seven, while Canada collapsed to 122 all out in 36.5 overs.

             There was next a mighty struggle with Pakistan who put up 277 for seven at Colombo. Upul Tharanga and Dilshan raised 76 first up. Both fell in quick succession, as did Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera, as Shahid Afridi began spinning his magic. Sangakkara was now engaged in a rearguard operation with Chamara Silva. The pair battled hard, with Sangakkara even slashing Umar Gul for a six over third-man. When the partnership had reached 73, Sangakkara, one short of a fifty, stepped out to his opposite number Afridi and lofted him, only to hole out in the deep. He had 2 boundaries besides that six in his 61 balls. Some of the lower order did put up a stirring fight but Sri Lanka were beaten by 11 runs.

            Kenya lasted only 43.4 overs, being bundled out for 142. Malinga did most of the damage, capturing six wickets for 38 including an unprecedented second World Cup hat-trick. Dilshan left after scoring 44. Sangakkara allied with Tharanga (67 not out, 59 balls, 12 fours) in a 74-run partnership to usher in victory in the 19^th over. His unbeaten 27 off 24 deliveries contained 3 boundaries.   

            A downpour forced the eagerly-awaited face-off with Australia to be abandoned when Sri Lanka were 146 for three in 32.5 overs. Sangakkara was batting serenely on 73, having faced 102 deliveries and struck 7 boundaries. This halted Australia’s winning streak in the World Cup dating back to 1999.

            Zimbabwe were overwhelmed by the World Cup record opening partnership of 282 between Tharanga and Dilshan. Batting at no. 5, Sangakkara was unbeaten with 11 when the innings came to a close at 327 for six. Zimbabwe were bowled out for 188.

            In contrast, the Kiwis dismissed Tharanga and Dilshan early. Sangakkara, back at one-down, and Jayawardene got together again in a fine partnership. The hundred came up in 25 overs, and shortly thereafter Sangakkara raised his 9000^th run in One-day Internationals. He reached 50 in 77 balls, and the century partnership was achieved off just about 25 overs. In their quest to accelerate the scoring-rate, Sangakkara lofted Scott Styris for a straight six, and Jayawardene played an exquisite late-cut to the boundary in the same over. As soon as the batting Powerplay was taken in the 37^th over, Jayawardene departed after having scored 66. The partnership was worth 145. Sangakkara then went after Tim Southee, lofting him square on the off-side off either foot for 4.6.4 off consecutive deliveries. In the next over he carved Jacob Oram for two boundaries, punctuated by a leg-glance that brought him a long-awaited hundred. He had taken 119 balls to achieve the feat. He was castled by Nathan McCullum for 111, having faced 128 deliveries and struck 12 fours besides the 2 sixes. Sri Lanka totalled 265 for nine. New Zealand provided feeble resistance, the middle-order wrecked by Murali the wizard. Sangakkara was man-of-the-match.

            The openers Tharanga and Dilshan gave no chance to the English in the quarter-final, posting another double-century partnership, this time an unbroken one of 231 as they coasted to victory in under 40 overs.

            The adversaries once again in the semi-final were the Kiwis, who had knocked one of the favourites South Africa out of the tournament. This time there was more of a contest as they posted 217 before being all out in 48.5 overs, with Sangakkara holding three catches. After Tharanga left at 40, Dilshan and Sangakkara joined hands in another crucial partnership. In the 27^th over Sangakkara launched into a Nathan McCullum delivery and hit it straight into orbit for a six. The pair carried the side steadily towards the target, hoisting the century stand in a bit more than 21 overs. Soon after, Sangakkara raised his fifty off 72 deliveries, Dilshan was dismissed for 73. The partnership was worth 120 in 25.2 overs. Then wickets began to tumble. Sangakkara himself slashed into the hands of the third-man, having scored 54 from 79 balls and carved 7 boundaries besides that six. Soon it was 185 for five in the 43^rd over but no further alarms as Sri Lanka marched into their second successive World Cup final with 13 balls to spare. Sangakkara won another man-of-the-match prize.

            There was rebuilding to do once Tharanga fell for 2 in the final. Sangakkara put on 43 with Dilshan, and then got together with Jayawardene. The hundred came up in 24 overs, and the fifty of the partnership off 9.2 overs. But the canny Yuvraj Singh had him edging a square-cut into the gloves of opposite number Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The stand was worth 62 in 11.2 overs. It was a priceless breakthrough for India as Sangakkara departed for 48, having faced 67 deliveries and struck 5 boundaries. Jayawardene went on to score a superb unbeaten century, and Sri Lanka hit up 274 for six, a total no team had chased in a World Cup final. There was further joy in their camp as Malinga trapped Virender Sehwag second-ball for a duck, and then induced the peerless Tendulkar to edge into Sangakkara’s gloves, having scored 18. There was a hush all over India with the total on 31 for two in 6.1 overs. But by now it was an inspired home team, and they brought up victory in the 49^th over in one of the most thrilling World Cup finals.   

            It was, nevertheless, a brilliant tournament for Sangakkara. Leading from the front, efficient behind the stumps with 14 victims, and third-highest scorer in the tournament after Dilshan and Tendulkar, nothing more could be asked of him. Not once did he fail with the bat, his 465 runs coming at a tremendous average of 93, and a strike-rate of 83.78. This was Kumar Sangakkara at his very best.  

It is interesting to compare Sangakkara’s World Cup figures at that stage with those of Adam Gilchrist. In 31 matches the Australian great scored 1085 runs at an average of 36.16 and a strike-rate of 98.01, with 45 catches and 7 stumpings. In 30 matches the Sri Lankan star had scored 991 runs at an average of 45.04 and a strike-rate of 78.71, with 36 catches and 10 stumpings. Gilchrist had the most catches, and Sangakkara the most stumpings, in the World Cup. Gilchrist had his nose far ahead for his blistering batting strike-rate, which made him a match-winner, but Sangakkara had a better average. There is little doubt, though, as to who the two best wicketkeeper-batsmen in the World Cup were, interestingly both left-handers.

Sangakkara was irresistible in the 2015 event. The captaincy had passed to Angelo Mathews. New Zealand trounced Sri Lanka in the opening match, posting 331 for six. Lahiru Thirimanne and Dilshan raised 67 first up in 13 overs before Sangakkara walked in. He put on 57 with Thirimanne off 9 overs before the latter was castled by Trent Boult for 65. Jayawardene fell for a duck, and in his next over Boult trapped Sangakkara leg-before for 39, scored off 38 deliveries. It was now an uphill task for Sri Lanka. They were bowled out for 233 in 46.1 overs.

The only real failure for Sangakkara in this tournament was against the unheralded but spirited Afghanistan. Having posted 232, the Afghans caused a sensation, dismissing both the openers for ducks. Sangakkara was bowled for 7 but Jayawadene scored a superb 100, and Thisara Perera hit a hurricane 47 off 26 deliveries to post a four-wicket win.

It was a different story in the next game versus Bangladesh. Thirimamme and Dilshan knocked up 122 for the first wicket in 24.3 overs. Sangakkara was playing his 400^th One-day International, joining an exclusive club comprising Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar and Mahela Jayawardene. Along with Dilshan, he gradually raised the tempo, hitting hardly anything in the air. Their century stand came up in 16.2 overs. Sangakkara raced to his fastest hundred in One-day Internationals, off just 73 balls, in the last over. The double century partnership arrived in 24.5 overs. They hammered 16 boundaries in the last six-and a half overs. Theirs was a huge unbroken second-wicket partnership of 212 runs in 25.3 overs, Sri Lanka’s highest for the second wicket in One-day Internationals, and their third-highest partnership for any wicket in the World Cup. This was only the second time that century partnerships were posted for the first two wickets in the World Cup. India achieved this feat against South Africa in 2011. Sangakkara was unbeaten with 105 spanning 76 deliveries, and embellished with a six and 13 fours. Dilshan was not out at 161 (146 balls, 22 boundaries), the highest score for Sri Lanka in the World Cup, overhauling Aravinda de Silva’s 145 against Kenya in 1996. Sangakkara excelled behind the stumps too, snapping up 2 catches and effecting a stumping. He was the third to achieve this feat of a century and three dismissals in the World Cup, emulating Brendon McCullum and Adam Gilchrist. Sangakkara took his 400^th catch in One-day Internationals as wicketkeeper and fielder. Bangladesh folded up for 240.

            England scored an imposing 309 for six, thanks to a superb 121 (108 balls, 2 sixes, 14 fours) by Joe Root. Once again Thirimanne and Dilshan posted a century opening partnership, a round 100 in 19 overs. This time Dilshan was the first to leave for 44. Sangakkara was into his stride rightaway, and reached his fifty in 45 deliveries. He then stepped on the pedal, with several hits to the fence and a couple over it off Steven Finn. The century stand took just 16.1 overs. Thirimanne brought up his hundred from 117 balls. Sangakkara did not take much longer to hoist his own century off just 70 deliveries, the second fifty taking just 25 balls. It was superb batsmanship by the maestro, a successive three-figure knock by him. They continued to cruise, the 200 partnership logged up in 27 overs. The English bowlers made no impression on the pair and they cantered to a stunning nine-wicket victory, Thirimanne putting a final seal with a six that went soaring over long-on. The only other previous instance of chasing down a target of above 300 runs losing just 1 wicket in all One-day Internationals was when India beat Australia at Jaipur in 2013. It was a massive unbroken second-wicket partnership of 212 runs in 28.2 overs. Sri Lanka achieved the unique distinction of recording century partnerships for the first wicket and double century partnerships for the second wicket in successive matches. The same three batsmen were associated in these. Sangakkara was unbeaten with 117 off a mere 86 balls, dotted with 2 sixes and 11 fours. He was man-of-the-match. Thirimanne was 139 not out (143 deliveries, 2 sixes, 13 fours). Sri Lankan batting was on a huge high, led by exquisite strokeplay from Sangakkara.

            Glenn Maxwell blasted a century off a mere 51 balls, second fastest in the World Cup after Irishman Kevin O’Brien’s whirlwind hundred in 50 deliveries in 2011, and Australia’s fastest hundred in One-day Internationals. With the other batsmen also pitching in, the Aussies piled up 376 for nine. This time Thirimanne fell early but Sangakkara and Dilshan got together in another century partnership. Dilshan hammered Mitchell Johnson for six boundaries in the 6^th over. Sangakkara was again in sublime form, ringing in his fifty in 45 balls. They put on 130 in 19.5 overs when Dilshan departed for 62. Sangakkara slammed James Faulkner for three successive boundaries as Jayawardene helped add another 53 before being run out. Soon Sangakkara became the first to hit up three consecutive centuries in the World Cup, reaching the landmark in exactly 100 deliveries. He mistimed one from Faulkner to be caught in the covers for 104, having faced 107 balls and struck 11 boundaries. Despite some fireworks by the later batsmen, Sri Lanka folded up for 312 in 46.2 overs.  

There was a relaxed outing next with Scotland. Yet again Sangakkara and Dilshan were in tandem, this time logging up a near double-century stand, 195 to be exact in 28.5 overs. They cruised almost until the half-way mark of the innings, the century partnership spread over 19 overs, and then changed gears. They brought up their hundreds off consecutive deliveries in the 34^th over. It was Dilshan’s fourth century in the World Cup, and an unprecedented fourth consecutive hundred by Sangakkara in the World Cup and in all One-Day Internationals. This was his fifth ton in the premier event, emulating the feat of the former Australian captain Ricky Ponting. Only the Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar had more, with six to his credit. Dilshan was out soon for 104 (99 balls, 1 six, 10 fours). Sangakkara blazed on, clattering Alasdair Evans for 6.4.4.4.4 in the 36^th over. Jayawardene and Sangakkara were dismissed off successive deliveries from Josh Davey. Sangakkara stroked 124 attractive runs from 95 deliveries, embellished with 4 sixes and 13 fours. As Angelo Matthews sprinted to his fifty in just 20 balls, Sri Lanka posted 363 for nine. Scotland could only total 215. Sangakkara won another man-of-the-match prize.

The quarter-final just did not go Sri Lanka’s way. With Kusal Perera opening, Thirimanne dropped down to no. 4. Perera was dismissed for 3, and Dilshan for zero. Thirimanne was enterprising in his association with Sangakkara, who dropped anchor. They added 65 in 15 overs before Thirimanne was caught and bowled by Imran Tahir. Wickets tumbled regularly. Sangakkara hung on till he was ninth out for 45, with the total only 127 after 36.2 overs. He had squared up to 96 deliveries and hit three boundaries. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 133. Jean-Paul Duminy grabbed a hat-trick, while Tahir snapped up four wickets.   

The great Kumar Sangakkara retired from One-day Internationals with 14,234 runs, 402 catches (383 as wicketkeeper) and 99 stumpings in 404 matches. His aggregate was second only to the inimitable Sachin Tendulkar who hit up 18,426 runs in 463 games. In the World Cup, Sangakkara was the third-highest run-getter with 1,532 runs, behind Tendulkar (2,278 runs) and Ricky Ponting (1,743 runs). Sangakkara’s 482 dismissals were a record in One-day Internationals ahead of Adam Gilchrist who had 472 to his name. In the World Cup too, Sangakkara held the record with 54 dismissals, to Gilchrist’s 52. Sangakkara had by far the most stumpings totalling 13, and the second-highest number of catches at 41, to Gilchrist’s 45.

            Sangakkara’s stint in the World Cup is a microcosm of his calibrated ascent into the galaxy of greats. His graph kept rising until he found himself among the best-ever, blossoming into consistency personified. A technically correct batsman, he could play shots all round the wicket off either foot without ever looking brutal. He had rare finesse with the willow like few others did.        

(Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s forthcoming book ‘World Cup Odyssey’).