Team-wise hit and flop player of the year in ODIs

2019 presented some jaw-dropping rivalries in ODIs. A number of matches went right down to the wire and kept the viewers at the edge of their seats. It was also the year when the 2019 edition of the World Cup took centre-stage in England and Wales. And it turned out to be an exciting one. The Brits lifted the title, beating New Zealand in the Final at the renowned Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Eoin Morgan’s men also finished as ICC’s top-ranked ODI team. Apart from England, the other teams also put forth some sterling shows. India and Australia showed a fair bit of domination. Delving deep into their performances, there were players, who stood out. Nevertheless, 2019 wasn’t a happy ride for a number of them. The under-achievers kept looking for rhythm without much of a success.

In the article, let’s take a look at the team-wise hit and flop of 2019: –

England

Hit- Jofra Archer  

Jofra Archer was fast-tracked in to the England team and the move paid rich dividends. The Barbados-born was their leading wicket-taker in the World Cup, having gotten 20 wickets. The seamer would mostly be known for the Super Over he bowled in the Final to give his team the title.

In 2019, Archer finished with 23 wickets in 14 matches at a decent average of 24.73. The fact that he managed an economy of 4.63, especially while bowling on batting-friendly decks, speaks volumes about his potential. A number of batsmen also had to bear the brunt of his vicious bouncers.

Flop- Moeen Ali

2019 turned out to be equivalent to a nightmare for Moeen Ali. The all-rounder could make an impact, neither with bat nor with his off-breaks. In the year, he played 14 matches and crawled to 145 runs at a rather disastrous average of 18.12. It would be fair to say that nothing went his way.

With the leather, the veteran got a mere six wickets at an average and strike-rate of 98 and 92 respectively. His poor form in the World Cup also led to his exclusion. Out of 11 matches in the mega event, the 32-year-old took part in only five games where he scored 75 runs and picked five wickets.

India

Hit- Rohit Sharma

There was no stopping Rohit Sharma in 2019. In 28 ODIs, the Mumbai batter managed 1490 runs at an average of 57.30 with six fifties and as many as seven centuries. In fact, he ended as the leading run-scorer of 2019 in the ODI format. The 32-year-old was the top run-getter even in the World Cup.

Rohit scored 648 runs in nine matches at a jaw-dropping average of 81. Moreover, he became the first batter to notch five tons in a single World Cup edition. The year ended on a happy note for Rohit as he had scores of 36, 159 and 63 against the West Indies in the three-match ODI series.

Flop- Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant had a rather indifferent year in the 50-overs format. The southpaw is being deemed as MS Dhoni’s replacement in the long run, bearing in mind his abilities. But Pant hasn’t been able to live up the expectations thus far. In 12 ODIs in 2019, he could score 305 runs at an average of 27.72.

He also had the privilege of playing the World Cup after not getting picked in the initial squad. He has often been criticised for playing rash strokes. Pant made some amends in the ODI series versus the West Indies, scoring his maiden fifty, but he will have a task on his hands in the year 2020.

New Zealand

Hit- Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson can’t be deemed as a slam-bang player. But, when it comes to reliability, there’s no questioning his skills. He was arguably the New Zealand’s standout batter in 2019, scoring 948 runs in 20 games at an average of 59.25. The Tauranga-born was impressive even in the World Cup.

Not only did he lead his team to the final, but stepped up with the bat, big time. In 10 matches, Williamson managed 578 runs at an average of 82.57, more than double of Ross Taylor’s 38.88. In the mega event, Kane also racked up match-winning tons versus the West Indies and South Africa.

Flop- Colin Munro

Thus far, Colin Munro hasn’t been able to translate his T20 form in ODI cricket. Munro didn’t see a change in fortunes even in 2019 as he scored 324 runs in 14 matches at a dismal average of 24.92. Though he played at a strike-rate of 101.88, Munro  was lacking in showing enough consistency.

In the 2019 World Cup, he stated with an unbeaten 58 against Sri Lanka. But in the next five matches, Colin could garner only 67 runs. Later, he was dropped and Henry Nicholls replaced him at the top of the order. At the age of 32, Munro is faced with the challenge of reviving his ODI career.

Australia

Hit- Pat Cummins

Throughout 2019, Pat Cummins’ was Aaron Finch’s prime weapon for Australia in ODI cricket. In the year, the speedster churned out 31 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of 4.73. The 26-year-old seamer nipped out 14 wickets in the five-match ODI series in India to start his journey in 2019.

He carried his form to the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE and then to the 2019 World Cup. In the mega event, Cummins was the only Aussie bowler with an economy rate under five. Albeit he wasn’t their top wicket-taker in the event, Cummins impressed with 14 wickets from 10 games.

Flop- Marcus Stoinis

In 2019, Marcus Stoinis had the worst average of 23.50 among all the specialist Australian batsmen. In 20 matches, the Perth-born scored 329 runs with a solitary half-century to show for his efforts. The year started off for him in a decent manner as he mustered some useful scores against India.

But from the ODI series against Pakistan, Stoinis scored 103 runs in 13 matches at an average of 11.44. He was in disastrous form even in the 2019 World Cup. With his slow medium-pace, Stoinis wasn’t all that effective either. He picked up 15 wickets at an expensive economy rate of 6.23.

South Africa

Hit- Rassie van der Dussen

2019 was Rassie van der Dussen’s first in ODI cricket and he didn’t show any signs of nervousness by any means. In the year, the right-hander notched 664 runs in 18 matches at an average of 73.77. Out of those games, the batsman from Pretoria, Transvaal racked up seven half-centuries under his belt.

Even in the World Cup, Van der Dussen was the Proteas’ stalwart in the middle-order. There he scored 311 runs at an average of 62.20 with a top score of 95. The South Africa team has undergone a few changes after the World Cup debacle and Rassie is being seen as a dependable figure.

Flop- JP Duminy  

JP Duminy was all set for a final hurrah in 2019, but he ended up having a rather torrid time. In the year, the southpaw could only manage 101 runs in the seven matches he played at an average of 25.25. The 35-year-old left-hander from Cape Town, Cape Province looked completely out of sorts.

In the World Cup, Duminy was given chances in only five matches. Duminy started with 45 in a losing cause versus Bangladesh at the Kennington Oval after which his campaign fell apart. Even with the ball in hand, Duminy couldn’t weave magic. His last ODI was against Australia at the Old Trafford.

Pakistan

Hit- Babar Azam

Babar Azam has come up leaps and bounds in the last few years. 2019 gave the Young Turk loads to cheer of. In the last 12 months, the Lahore, Punjab-born racked up 1092 runs in 20 matches at an incredible average of 60.66. He brought in a sense of calmness amidst rusty batting from Pakistan.

During this while, the 25-year-scored centuries versus England, New Zealand and Sri Lanka to go with six fifties. In the World Cup, Babar scored 474 runs at an average of 67.71. He didn’t get much support from the others and hence, Pakistan crashed out of the mega event before the semi-finals.

Flop- Hasan Ali

Hasan Ali had a year to forget owing to indifferent form and injuries. In 2019, he could only manage seven wickets in 12 matches at a horrible average of 89.28. He became the Emerging Player of the Year in 2017 after the Champions Trophy in England. His career has witnessed a slump ever since.

Hasan ended with the worst economy rate (6.61) among Pakistan bowlers, who played 10 or more matches. In the World Cup, the 25-year-old managed a couple of wickets in four matches and was later dropped. After the mega event, the pacer developed a back injury and then a rib fracture.

Bangladesh

Hit- Shakib Al Hasan

From a personal viewpoint, 2019 turned out to be alike a fairy-tale for Shakib Al Hasan. The Jessore-born ended the year with 746 runs in 11 matches at an average of 93.25. There were times when Shakib waged lone battles amidst some shoddy performances from the rest of the Bangladesh team.

In the World Cup, Shakib scored 606 runs with five fifties and centuries against England and the West Indies. The one versus the Caribbean team came while the Tigers were chasing in excess of 300. With the leather, Shakib picked up 13 wickets including a five-wicket haul against Afghanistan.

Flop- Tamim Iqbal

Tamim Iqbal is currently Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in ODIs, having scored 6,892 runs with 11 tons. But in 2019, the Chittagong-born faced a lot of challenges. Tamim got a couple of fifties in Dublin and then he failed to carry over his form. He floundered in the 2019 edition of the World Cup.

In the mega event, Tamim scored 235 runs in eight matches at an average of 29.37. After some poor outings, the southpaw was made skipper in the Sri Lanka ODIs in Mashrafe Mortaza’s absence. There the Tigers slumped to a 3-0 whitewash and Tamim managed a mere 21 runs in the three matches.

Sri Lanka

Hit- Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga was Sri Lanka’s standout ODI bowler in 2019. In the last year, the veteran speedster picked up 27 wickets in 16 matches at an economy of 5.92. The fast bowler was one of the star performers for the Lankans in the 2019 World Cup where he notched 13 wickets in seven matches.

His best figures of 4/43 came against champions England at the Headingley in Leeds. It also helped the Islanders roll over the Three Lions. Even at the age of 36, Malinga managed to ruffle feathers with his yorkers and changes of pace. The Galle-born retired after the home ODIs versus Bangladesh.

Flop- Niroshan Dickwella

Niroshan Dickwella is known to be an explosive batter. But the attacking approach has gone against him at times, especially in 2019. In the year, the left-hander played only six matches and managed 147 runs. Though his strike-rate was up there at 121.48, he couldn’t get the big scores to his dismay.

Owing to his poor form, Dickwella wasn’t considered for the 2019 World Cup as well. He started the year with a 76 versus New Zealand in Mount Maunganui. But in the three ODIs in South Africa, Dickwella had scores of 8, 6 and 2 before the selectors decided to leave him out for the World Cup.

West Indies

Hit- Shai Hope

West Indies didn’t win a whole lot of ODIs in 2019. Yet they had some positives to eke out, one of them was Shai Hope. The Barbados-born didn’t set the stage ablaze with his power-hitting, but chipped in with some huge scores. The ended as the top run-scorer for the Caribbean team in 2019.

In 28 ODIs, the right-hander scored 1345 runs at an average of 61.13 with four centuries and eight half-centuries. Hope didn’t have the best of outings in the World Cup, scoring 274 runs at an average of 34.25. However, he scored 102*, 78 and 42 against India to end the year on a positive manner.

Flop- Jason Holder

Jason Holder had a pretty rough year in 2019. The Barbados-born found the going tough from all the departments. The fast bowler had a shambolic bowling average of 51.19, way lower than his career numbers of 35.91. The 28-year-old ended the year with 21 wickets from as many as 27 matches.

In the World Cup, Holder managed eight wickets. Holder also under-performed as the skipper. Under his leadership the West Indies could only beat Pakistan and Afghanistan in the mega event. The national selectors then axed his as the captain and appointed Kieron Pollard for the important role.

Afghanistan

Hit- Najibullah Zadran

Najibullah Zadran mostly bats in the lower middle order for Afghanistan in ODI cricket. Yet, he was one of their leading run-scorers in 2019, having scored 509 runs at an average of 39.15. He started the year with an unbeaten 104 versus Ireland in Dehradun. He did well even in the 2019 World Cup.

The southpaw started with a 51* against Australia in Bristol and followed it up with an unbeaten 43 against Sri Lanka in Cardiff. Then versus  Pakistan, the Logar-born got 42 useful runs versus Pakistan. In November, 28-year-old got a fifty against the West Indies and capped off the year positively.

Flop- Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan has been a revelation for the Afghan team across formats and has a bright future in the offing. In ODI cricket, the 21-year-old has 133 wickets in only 71 matches with four five-wicket hauls. But 2019 wasn’t quite kind to the leg-spinner as he could manage only 15 wickets from 19 matches.

A lot was expected of him in the World Cup and Rashid couldn’t step up. He got six wickets in nine matches. In the match versus England, Eoin Morgan laid into him and the tweaker had figures of 8-0-110-0. Rashid will want to park the agony of 2019 aside the stared 2020 with a positive mindset.