Posted by Excuse us looking so far ahead – they’ve each got another match to play before India v Zimbabwe on Thursday – but we’ve been sucked in by the wildly diverging fortunes of Abhishek Sharma and Brian Bennett so far this tournament. We can’t wait to see what happens when they play in the same game. Things cannot carry on like this, you suspect.
For those that don’t know, India’s Abhishek Sharma is currently top of the men’s T20 batting rankings. Coming out at the top of the order, he charges, slices and carves and just generally hits a great many straight and off-side sixes. He tonked 135 off 54 balls against England this time last year.
But so far this tournament, Sharma has made a duck against the USA, a duck against Pakistan and a duck against the Netherlands. In his most effective performance so far, he missed the game against Namibia due to the wild shits. He notched a couple more ducks against New Zealand in the series just before this tournament too.
He also made a duck on his debut, against Zimbabwe in 2024, when he was dismissed by Brian Bennett in the opening over. This was slightly weird because Bennett isn’t a bowler. He has only taken six wickets in 55 T20Is.
Like Sharma, Bennett is chiefly an opening batter. Unlike Sharma, he has had no interest in getting out at this T20 World Cup. So far he has made 48 not out, 64 not out and 63 not out.
It is very weird for an opening batter to finish not out in a T20 game and very, very, very weird to do so three games in a row. Bennett’s scoring rate hasn’t been electric. He doesn’t come across as the most ambitious strokemaker and is yet to hit a six. It is however worth noting that Zimbabwe have won every time.
This could change. The Chevrons – for that is what they are called – play the similarly unbeaten West Indies on Monday, so Bennett may actually be dismissed before he gets the chance to increase the contrast between his own returns and Sharma’s flock. Meanwhile, the India opener will get a fourth opportunity to get off the mark before then, against South Africa on Sunday – bowels permitting.
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I understood from your piece why Abhishek only opened (with ducks) in three of the four round robin matches, but you didn’t explain why Brian Bennett had only registered three impressive not out scores in the round robins.
It took me a while to recall that the fourth Zimbabwe match was due to be against Ireland but was rained off – thus eliminating Australia from the competition. Then it further dawned on me that Australia would probably have been unceremoniously evicted from the tournament anyway, given Zimbabwe’s demonstrably “top of the group” performance in the first round and Sri Lanka’s unquestionable dominance over Australia in their round robin match.
Forgive me, as I am of advancing years, these matters can take a while to reform in my memory. I thought it wise to set those thoughts out here in the comments, just in case anyone else reading this article was struggling to recall all of the ugly details about Australia’s untimely elimination.
Thanks for refreshing our memories Ged. Wouldn’t want to forget any details of Australia being eliminated at the first hurdle.
Meanwhile the weather forecast for Kandy tomorrow is not encouraging.
Hmmm. Seems the weather’s ok, it’s the England batting forecast that is a bit of a washout
And I take it back, masterly batting performance it turns out… And we have a hit wicket as a comedy bonus
Didn’t Australia collapse against Sri Lanka after an excellent start, and then fail to defend a half-decent score. Is it possible that the team that played against England today was the same Sri Lankan team?
In other ‘hard for old folks to get their heads around” news…Will Jacks’s hair do. “What the hell is that?” – was Daisy’s comment on’t.
“Does Hardik Pandya go to the same barber as Will Jacks?” Methinks Daisy is starting to concern herself with peripheral nonsense when she watches cricket.
Look at the players’ beards, Daisy. Look at their ample girths. Observe anger (or lack thereof) in their faces.
This is the way.
Seems Sharma’s opening mate took on the role of duck to ease the pressure of expectation.
T’was an interesting match. Normally when a team is 20-3 (in either innings), it’s game over. However, for SA to then recover and then do what India did to them in the first few overs and keep on top of them was impressive. I’m seeing resilience in this SA side which I’ve not seen too much of prior to the tournament. New competition favourites?
Jofra Archer’s face after he hit the winning runs today was something to behold. Rather than the bestial roar of some players, or the fist-pumping ‘yes!’ straight from sports psychology coaching manuals, there was a long whistle of relief. Good stuff.
The excitement was at fever pitch in our household at the sight of Usman Tariq.
All my life I have wondered whether anyone could bowl at the highest level with a filthy, pause-stilted action a bit like mine.
https://youtu.be/UrPsZTzVVNw
Not only does Usman Tariq deliver in the bowling action department, he sports a splendid beard, a fairly ample girth and a smile on his face when he plays cricket. What a fine chap.
I enjoyed Brook saying how good Pakistan were and how hard to beat they were after scoring a century.
Zimbabwe will be wishing the contest was just Abhishek vs Brian. Looking at cricinfo I saw the score with the line underneath “Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to field” and mentally added “…and swiftly regretted it.”
Another Bennett not out is still somehow a possibility though, even with all those wild hits
Not quite a hundred, but Brian Bennett now has a tournament average of 277. Quite handy
We assumed it would all come crashing down for him against India, but no, still pushing on making endless unbeaten runs.
Meanwhile Faf du Plessis says that Abhishek “can breathe now”. Seems like a good idea. If he’s not been breathing up to now, that would explain his run of poor form. I expect it’s a problem with modern coaching techniques…
I TOLD them that having the players spend so much time playing Kabaddi in training would cause confusion about when they were allowed to breathe
As an aside. Can someone explain to me why, in the India vs Zimbabwe game, Pandya was made man of the match when he only made 50 and didn’t take a wicket? Sharma scored more runs; Yadav and Varma had a higher batting strike rate; 4 Indian bowlers took more wickets including Singh who took 3 (for 24), while Mr Bennet on the other side scored 97 not out, and who now has a batting average of 277 for the competition.
Pandya? Really? Give over!
…maybe it was his hair wot won it.
(I know, I posted the same comment on the other wotnot, but by the time I posted it, I realised there was a more relevant wotnot to post it in, which was here. So, anyway.)