Who have you grown an admiration for in this world cup?

[TheJediBrah]

Afridi is a legend of the game. Pakistan's single greatest contribution to cricket, ahead of Imran Khan, reverse swing, Wasim Akram, and losing to India in every single World Cup game ever.

Even ahead of match fixing, ball tampering and whinging about rain in the World Cup?

 

[CricAddict]

Even ahead of match fixing, ball tampering and whinging about rain in the World Cup?

He has mentioned ball tampering in his post already though

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Wahab is interesting. I picked him to get absolutely tonked, he did a couple of times but on the whole he was quite good at taking key wickets throughout the tournament.

He did exceed my expectations for this tournament a fair bit, I well knew Wahab at his best is quality but Wahab at his worst is so bad he should be kept away from international batsmen for his own safety. It was mostly the former this World Cup

 

[h_hurricane]

I would add Haris Sohail to this list. Came to a team in disarray after losing the initial few matches, looked quality right away and his performances had a major part to play in Pakistan bouncing back. Stats may not reflect that fully but makes one wonder what would happened if he had played in more matches.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah good shout that. Was very good

 

[ankitj]

Shakib Al Hasan.

 

[Flem274*]

i rated haris sohail 4 years ago so i feel vindicated

alex carey for me. didn't rate at all but the guy has been sublime.

 

[CricAddict]

I feel vindicated too on Alex Carey. I remember predicting him to be a very good international player but getting mocked by someone.

Haris Sohail and Shaheen added a lot to the Pak side. Pakistan became a solid team at the fag end. If only they didn't go with the failed experienced players like Hasan Ali and Malik/Hafeez and gone with them from the start, they could have been in the semis.

On the thread, Shakib for me as well. Also JimmyGS. I like allrounders and this tournament has been good for them as well apart from the openers.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Shakib has been great for a decade now and it's been clear to anyone who's actually watched and followed his career. Good to see the casuals begin to realise how good he is now that he's done it in matches they've bothered to watch.

Been a lot of surprised "Wait Shakib can play like this?!" to which I've mostly just responded by smugly nodding my head.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I feel vindicated too on Alex Carey. I remember predicting him to be a very good international player but getting mocked by someone.

Well he has been pretty terrible right up until this World Cup, so whoever "mocked" probably had a good reason (not that anyone should be mocked, that's essentially online bullying). Just because he's pulled the performances of a great cricketer out of his ass in the last month doesn't change how bad he's been for most part.

 

[Flem274*]

Shakib has been great for a decade now and it's been clear to anyone who's actually watched and followed his career. Good to see the casuals begin to realise how good he is now that he's done it in matches they've bothered to watch.

Been a lot of surprised "Wait Shakib can play like this?!" to which I've mostly just responded by smugly nodding my head.

yea he's always been op. some teams are just too scared to tour there.

 

[MrPrez]

Rassie van der Dussen.

Thought he was a solid domestic player in a rich vein of form, but he's shown he has what it takes to play internationally. Similar to how I misread Faf when he first got a Test chance.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Tamim was a big disappointment for me. A bit more consistency from him and Bangladesh might have found a way to sneak into the SF. Bit of a shame they ended up finishing 8th on the table despite being much closer to qualification than SA/SL were.

 

[Burgey]

Shakib has been great for a decade now and it's been clear to anyone who's actually watched and followed his career. Good to see the casuals begin to realise how good he is now that he's done it in matches they've bothered to watch.

Been a lot of surprised "Wait Shakib can play like this?!" to which I've mostly just responded by smugly nodding my head.

Hero

 

[vcs]

Shakib has been great for a decade now and it's been clear to anyone who's actually watched and followed his career. Good to see the casuals begin to realise how good he is now that he's done it in matches they've bothered to watch.

Been a lot of surprised "Wait Shakib can play like this?!" to which I've mostly just responded by smugly nodding my head.

Shakib will remain perenially underrated because neither his batting nor his bowling are nice to watch aesthetically.

 

[zorax]

Shakib will remain perenially underrated because neither his batting nor his bowling are nice to watch aesthetically.

Hey his batting is pretty glorious at times. Has great timing and uses his feet well. He's a lot prettier to watch than Gayle, for instance.

His bowling action isn't that pretty, agreed, but it is great if you understand finger spin (which means the uneducated masses won't get it TBF)

 

[vcs]

He gets legside of the ball and plays the cut a lot, rarely drives down the ground.

There are finger-spinners like Swann and Herath who are pretty decent to watch, Shakib's action is a bit ungainly. Not that it particularly matters, it's all subjective.

 

[DriveClub]

Hey his batting is pretty glorious at times. Has great timing and uses his feet well. He's a lot prettier to watch than Gayle, for instance.

His bowling action isn't that pretty, agreed, but it is great if you understand finger spin (which means the uneducated masses won't get it TBF)

Whats this thing called 'finger spin'? Do you twirl your fingers until you get an epileptic fit?

 

[Burgey]

He gets legside of the ball and plays the cut a lot, rarely drives down the ground.

There are finger-spinners like Swann and Herath who are pretty decent to watch, Shakib's action is a bit ungainly. Not that it particularly matters, it's all subjective.

Man I miss Herath already. Loved that bloke.

 

[Borges]

If only one has to be named: Warner 2.0.
Batting as well as ever, sans the Aussie nastiness. Didn't know he had that kind of steel in him.