Less than a month remains until the 2023 World Cup, which will be held in India. All countries are preparing to give it their all to win the coveted trophy. Some players will have the chance to perform at their peak and establish themselves as legendary characters in One-Day International (ODI) cricket at the next premier tournament.
There have been players in the past with common names who stood out during an ODI World Cup edition and rose to prominence on the international stage. Before the 2023 World Cup, it’s important to recall the players who dominated the ODI competition with their noteworthy performances and established themselves as outstanding cricketing talents.
ODI World Cups heroes:
5. Jofra Archer, 2019:
A few days before the 2019 World Cup, Jofra Archer made his ODI debut. Archer had only played three one-day matches before to the tournament in England and Wales, thus he wasn’t well-known in international cricket. Along with Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, he was given the task of bolstering England’s pace assault during the World Cup at home.
Eoin Morgan led England to their first championship, and Archer was a key factor in their success. The fast bowler finished third in the championship in terms of wickets taken, behind Australia’s Mitchell Starc and New Zealand’s Lockie Ferguson, with 20 wickets in 11 games at an economy rate of 4.57.
He gave his squad a strong start with the ball in the first game against South Africa. The pacer led his team to a convincing 104-run victory with 3/27 statistics in his seven overs. He successfully defended 15 runs for his team against Martin Guptill and James Neesham in the decisive match against New Zealand.
4. Tim Southee, 2011:
Due to his methodical bowling during the 2011 World Cup, Tim Southee attracted a lot of attention. Southee was one of the notable players who significantly contributed to New Zealand’s success, helping the Black Caps get to the competition’s semifinals.
The paceman finished the tournament as the second-leading wicket-taker after taking 18 wickets in eight of his games. Southee, who was competing in his first World Cup, confidently supported his team’s fast-bowling unit. The Kiwis destroyed Pakistan by 110 runs in the group game, and Southee came up with the ball.
After Ross Taylor’s impressive batting display, Southee bowled Mohammad Hafeez on five in his first over to give his team the perfect start. Later, he also fired Pakistan’s captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal. The pacer bowled an eight-over spell throughout the match, recording 3/25.
3. Imran Tahir, 2011:
After the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales, Imran Tahir decided to end his career in international cricket. From 2011 to 2019, the leg-break bowler competed for the South African cricket team in ODIs. He played one-day cricket for more than eight years, taking 173 wickets in 107 games for an economy of 4.65.
Tahir made his debut for his country at the 2011 ODI World Cup in Delhi against the West Indies. He picked up a four-wicket haul in his first game, which helped his team defeat the Caribbeans with ease by seven wickets. In later games, the leggie maintained his strong performance. The Proteas lost by six runs to England, but Tahir once again put on an excellent show with the ball.
The South African bowler, who was born in Lahore, wreaked havoc on the England batsmen during his 8.4 overs of play, taking four wickets. In Mirpur, South Africa’s season came to an end in the quarterfinals after falling to New Zealand by 49 runs. Tahir finished as his team’s second-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in five tournament games.
2. Shaun Tait, 2007:
With his blistering pace, Shaun Tait was renowned for overwhelming batters. He set some fantastic records for fast bowling thanks to his prowess. Tait made his ODI debut against England in the 2007 Commonwealth Bank Series prior to the ODI World Cups.
He wasn’t expected to make the World Cup selection, but after Brett Lee was forced to withdraw from the competition due to an ankle injury sustained while on the New Zealand tour, Tait was chosen to bolster Australia’s pace unit in the important ODI match in the West Indies.
Australia played an aggressive brand of cricket in the World Cup, winning for a record-tying fourth time. Glenn McGrath finished the tournament with 26 wickets, which made him the competition’s leading wicket-taker. McGrath and the teenager Tait both made headlines for their ferocious bowling.
The right-arm Adelaide-born quick, who constantly supported McGrath throughout the campaign, finished as the tournament’s joint second-leading wicket-taker with Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, taking 23 wickets in 11 games. The semi-final match in Gros Islet between South Africa and Tait featured Tait’s best performance.
The paceman, who was playing a crucial role in the match, attacked the Proteas hard and claimed four wickets. Australia defeated South Africa by seven wickets thanks to his outstanding bowling, advancing them to the final.
1. Ben Stokes, 2019:
In 2019, England’s first ODI World Cups victory came while serving as hosts. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow both contributed with their bats, hitting 556 and 532 runs, respectively, while Archer contributed with the ball, taking 20 wickets.
Along with these three players, another one for the England team in the competition appeared effective. With his all-around skill, Ben Stokes, who was participating in the ODI World Cup for the first time, helped the team. In 11 games, the veteran English player from Christchurch amassed 465 runs and seven wickets.
He demonstrated his versatility in the first game, defeating South Africa by a massive score of 104 runs by using both the bat and the ball. The southpaw’s 89 runs off of 79 at the plate helped England score 311 runs overall. He took two wickets while bowling and led his group to victory.
So, this was all about the heroes of ODI World Cups. Also read, Top fails of Cricket World Cup that left everyone in shock!
