Who Are Cricket’s Most Brutal Batsmen?
Yuvraj Singh - India's master blaster. 
With the IPL in full swing, and the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean just around the corner, just who are the game-breakers – those players who can change the fortune of a match with some lusty blows. Here’s our pick of the best – but what do the reader’s think?
David Warner
Only player with two international fifties scored off less than 20 balls – 18 balls versus the West Indies in 2010, and 19 balls versus South Africa last year in Melbourne.
- Career T20 runs 1 594
- Career strike rate (international T20s) 155.32
- Career strike rate (all T20s) 152.82
- Sixes in career (international T20s) 21
- Sixes (all T20s) 74
Andrew Symonds
The Aussie holds the record for the fastest domestic T20 hundred in world cricket, notching up his ton off 34 balls for Kent back in 2004.
- Career T20 runs 1 535
- Career strike rate (international T20s) 169.35
- Career strike rate (all T20s) 156.79
- Sixes in career (international T20s) 10
- Sixes (all T20s) 55
Brendon McCullum
Shares the record for the fastest international T20 hundred scored off 50 balls for New Zealand against Australia earlier this year. The Kiwi was also the first player to notch up an IPL hundred – a massive 158 off 73 balls for the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008.
- Career T20 runs 2 274
- Career strike rate (international T20s) 133.19
- Career strike rate (all T20s) 141.41
- Sixes in career (international T20s) 38
- Sixes (all T20s) 105
Chris Gayle
Was the first player to post a 50-ball international T20 hundred, during the T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007 – that record (shared with Brendon McCullum) still stands. The West Indian also holds the record for most sixes in a single innings – 10 during that above-mentioned ton.
- Career T20 runs 1 148
- Career strike rate (international T20s) 144.92
- Career strike rate (all T20s) 135.53
- Sixes in career (international T20s) 25
- Sixes (all T20s) 62
Yusuf Pathan
The Indian is currently the form player – he blasted a 37-ball 100 for the Rajasthan Royals against the Mumbai Indians in this year’s IPL. Is currently leading the sixes tally for this year’s IPL on 23.
- Career T20 runs 1 298
- Career strike rate (international T20s) 167.12
- Career strike rate (all T20s) 168.35
- Sixes in career (international T20s) 9
- Sixes (all T20s) 81
Yuvraj Singh
He’s better in a short spells – as he proved when he scored the fastest-ever T20 fifty for India against England during the World Cup in South Africa. Most will remember that brutal innings in Durban, which included six sixes off a single over from Stuart Broad (a record).
- Career T20 runs 1 644
- Career strike rate (international T20s) 165.29
- Career strike rate (all T20s) 141.72
- Sixes in career (international T20s) 35
- Sixes (all T20s) 90
IPL Hots Up
Praveen Kumar celebrates a wicket with his Bangalore Royal Challengers teammates.
Yesterday’s comprehensive hammering of defending IPL champions the Deccan Chargers by the Mumbai Indians clearly signalled that Sachin’s boys are the team to watch this year. With five wins out of six games, the Indians are sitting pretty atop the IPL league, and their 10 points so far almost guarantee them a semifinal spot.
Below them, the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Rajasthan Royals are tied on eight points, after the Royals posted a solid win over the Chennai Super Kings yesterday.
For teams to feel secure of a semifinal spot, they need to accumulate at least 16 points. Last year, the Deccan Chargers just snuck into the playoffs with 14 points – but only on a better run-rate than the unfortunate King’s XI Punjab who also had 14 points. Back in 2008, 15 points got the Delhi Daredevils in the mix, ahead of the Mumbai Indians on 14.
With two points awarded for a win, the two teams at the bottom of the log are going to find it exceptionally tough going to reach the semis. The King’s XI Punjab, on just two points, would have to win seven out of their last eight games to secure a spot, while the Chennai Super Kings (on four points) would have to try and win six of their last seven – a tough ask indeed.
A number of players are in the running to win the ‘purple cap’ (most wickets) and ‘orange cap’ (most runs) awards. Despite his team’s poor performance so far, Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has taken 11 wickets for the Super Kings, significantly ahead of Shaun Tait (Rajasthan Royals) on nine, and three players – Chaminda Vaas (Deccan Chargers), Harbhajan Singh (Mumbai Indians) and Vinay Kumar (Royal Challengers Bangalore) – all share third spot with eight wickets apiece.
Heading up the runs stats is Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Jacques Kallis on 310 runs, with the Mumbai Indians Sachin Tendulkar catching up fast on 303 runs. The Rajasthan Royals Yusuf Pathan is in a distant third on 250 runs.
Smith Out Of The IPL With Broken Finger
Graeme Smith has been ruled out of remainder of the IPL after breaking a finger.
The South Africa captain fractured his right middle finger while fielding during Rajhasthan Royals’ match against Delhi Daredevils yesterday, placing some doubt on his participation in the ICC World Twenty20, which starts on 30 April.
“I have a double fracture in my right middle finger, so will be missing the IPL,” Smith said on his Twitter page. “I hurt it taking the catch off [Virender] Sehwag last night wen [sic] I landed my finger got hooked in the ground.”
Rajhasthan, who have lost their opening two games, are already without Shane Watson, who is on Test duty, and the Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who has been banned from the IPL. Furthermore both Yusuf Pathan and Dimitri Mascarenhas were injured during yesterday’s match.
With thanks to guardian.co.uk
Loading ...
.PNG){kind=icon}
