Cricket World Cup 2023: Best XI of the Fifth Week
Cricket World Cup 2023 fifth week started with India’s 302-run victory against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium. With the massive triumph, the hosts became the first team to reach the knockouts. Australia registered an intriguing three-wicket victory over Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium and became the third team to advance to the semi-final after India and South Africa.
After getting three semi-finalists in week five, cricket fans are eagerly waiting to get the fourth team for the knockout round in the last week of the league stage. Following the blockbuster cricketing action in the tournament’s fifth week, it’s time to discuss the performance of some players who grabbed eyeballs for doing their jobs efficiently.
Here is the best XI of the fifth week of World Cup 2023
1. Rachin Ravindra
Rachin Ravindra has performed exceptionally for New Zealand in the tournament, racking up 565 runs with three tons and two fifties in nine matches. With these numbers, the stylish left-handed batter is the second-leading run-getter in the competition. In the fifth week, New Zealand lost to Pakistan by 21 runs (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium but Rachin Ravindra again looked impressive with his bat.
After smashing a century against England in the inaugural game of the competition, he scored his second World Cup ton. Against the Men in Green, the southpaw exuded confidence as an opener, playing a sensational knock of 108 off 94. Riding on his superb innings, New Zealand crossed the 400-run mark for the first time in the World Cup.
Following the departure of Devon Conway in the 11th over of the game, the 23-year-old got the support of his skipper Kane Williamson. Along with his captain, he stitched a 180-run partnership which played a vital role in helping the Kiwis to post 401 runs on the board in their 50-over quota.
2. Rohit Sharma (Captain)
Rohit Sharma has led India from the front in this World Cup. The 36-year-old has scored 442 runs with a hundred and two fifties in eight matches. In India's first game of the fifth week, India registered an emphatic win over Sri Lanka Mumbai but the India skipper didn’t have a great day as he went back to the pavilion on four.
In the next game against South Africa, Rohit delivered a fierce start to his team at the iconic Eden Gardens. Taking advantage of the first powerplay, he scored 40 runs in just 24 deliveries with six fours and two maximums. The veteran’s swift knock set the momentum for middle-order batters.
Rohit’s batting effort gave Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer a chance to take time at the crease and help the side put up a huge score on the board. In the knockout round, Team India will expect their captain to do wonders with the bat so that the Men in Blue lift the coveted trophy after 12 years.
3. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is delivering stunning innings to the hosts with his bat in this competition. In the 302-run win against Sri Lanka at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, he contributed 88 runs (94 balls) to his side. After the early fall of captain Rohit, Kohli stood with Shubman Gill in the middle and built a 193-run partnership to help the team amass 357 runs in 50 overs.
After missing his century in Mumbai, the 35-year-old hit his 49th ODI ton on his birthday against South Africa at iconic Eden Gardens. With the extraordinary knock in front of Kolkata’s crowd, he equaled former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 one-day centuries.
Kohli confronted South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj with confidence on Kolkata’s turning track. Spending more than three hours at the crease, the star batter notched up an unbeaten 101-run innings off 121 balls with 10 fours.
4. Ben Stokes
England got knocked out of the World Cup 2023 after registering a 33-run defeat at the hands of Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Throughout the competition, England’s vital stalwarts failed to showcase their best which resulted in the defending champions’ debacle.
This week, the English side thumped the Netherlands by 160 runs and tasted their second win in the tournament. Ben Stokes made a crucial contribution with his bat in the comprehensive win, smashing his maiden World Cup ton. Riding on the southpaw’s 108 off 84, the English side crossed the 300-run mark for the second time in this competition.
Stokes also became the recipient of the Player of the Match award for his notable innings. Earlier, in the week, the 32-year-old hit a half-century against the Aussies in Ahmedabad. However, his effort went in vain as the Pat Cummins-led side held their nerves and bagged the game.
5. KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper)
KL Rahul has looked decent with his bat in this World Cup, piling up 245 runs with a fifty in seven innings. In the contest against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium, he played an effective innings of 21 off 19 with two fours. Along with the bat, Rahul displayed agility with his keeping gloves as well.
Standing behind the wickets, he assisted Mohammed Shami in dismissing Dushan Hemantha and Dushmantha Chameera. The 31-year-old failed to do big with his bat against the Proteas in Kolkata but made an important contribution as a keeper, hunting Aiden Markram along with Shami.
6. Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell shattered several records with his unbeaten 201-run knock against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium. At the iconic ground, when Australia were seven down at a score of 91 while chasing 292, the right-handed batter stepped up and rescued his team with his remarkable innings.
Standing in the middle, the 35-year-old stitched an unbroken 202-run stand with his captain Pat Cummins and helped his team emerge victorious by three wickets. He smashed the West Indies opener Chris Gayle’s record of the fastest double ton, reaching his 200 in just 128 deliveries.
The veteran also became the first non-opener to hit a double ton in the 50-over format. His batting effort led the Aussies to pull off their highest chase in the World Cup. Maxwell’s current form is a warning sign for South Africa, who are going to face the five-time champions in the second semi-final to be played in Kolkata.
7. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja has reinforced India’s spin-bowling unit brilliantly. Grabbing 14 wickets in eight matches at an economy of 3.76, he is one of the leading wicket-takers for India in this competition. Against Sri Lanka, he bowled only four deliveries and wrapped up the game for his team with Dilshan Madushanka’s scalp.
In the crucial contest against South Africa at Eden Gardens, he displayed his all-round skills. Batting at number seven, he played an unbeaten 29-run innings off 15 balls, with three fours and a maximum. After the scintillating batting performance, he made South African batters dance to his tune.
The 34-year-old bowled a nine-over spell and splurged only 33 runs with five wickets in the game to end up as the leading wicket-taker. Among his five hunts, the important scalps of the Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma, Heinrich Klassen, and David Miller were included.
8. Rashid Khan
Rashid Khan has played his part exceptionally for Afghanistan in this World Cup. The leggie bagged 11 wickets in nine games at an economy of 4.48 and emerged as the leading wicket-taker for his team. In his side’s seven-wicket win against the Netherlands in Lucknow, Rashid didn’t get any scalps but gave away only 31 runs in his 10 overs.
Afghanistan lost their next match against Australia at the Wankhede Stadium but gave a tough time to their opponents in all three departments. Batting first, the Afghan team scored 291 runs in their 50 overs and Rashid looked fantabulous as a lower-middle-order batter.
Going out at number seven, he accumulated 35 runs off just 18 deliveries with two fours and three sixes. After the marvellous cameo with the bat, he delivered a frugal and wicket-taking spell to his team. In his 10 overs, he gave away only 44 runs and removed dangerous Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Starc from the crease.
9. Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami is looking relentless against batters in this mega tournament. After picking up a four-wicket haul against England in Lucknow, the pacer wreaked havoc on Sri Lanka with his tight bowling. In India’s biggest World Cup win (by runs), he claimed a fifer and walked back home with the Player of the Match award.
With Kasun Rajitha’s scalp, he also became India’s leading wicket-taker in the World Cup tournaments surpassing former India pacers Zaheer Khan (44 wickets in 23 matches) and Javagal Srinath (44 wickets in 34 matches). After clinching the fifer against the 1996 champions, Shami also equalled the Australia paceman Mitchell Starc’s record for most five-wicket hauls (3) in the World Cup.
The 33-year-old India stalwart displayed his bowling mettle against South Africa at Eden Gardens. This time, he got the better of the Protea vice-captain Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen, with his amazing pace and line.
10. Mohammad Wasim Jr
Mohammad Wasim Jr has got only three games from Pakistan in this tournament and the youngster didn’t disappoint his team’s supporters with his bowling performance. In three games, he fetched eight wickets at a thrifty economy of 5.00. After exuding confidence with the ball against South Africa and Bangladesh, Wasim looked impressive against New Zealand at the M. Chainnaswamy Stadium.
On Bengaluru’s batting-friendly track, when Pakistan’s experienced speedsters Shaheen Afridi, Hasan Ali, and Haris Rauf looked ineffective, Wasim stepped up with the ball and took three huge wickets for his side. In his 10-over spell, he got rid of Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, and Glenn Phillips.
His outstanding bowling performance didn’t get wasted as Fakhar Zaman (126 off 81) and Babar Azam (66 off 63) helped the Men in Green win the game by 21 runs (DLS method). In the end, Zaman became the Player of the Match but the 22-year-old will be considered the unsung hero in this famous success.
11. Dilshan Madushanka
Sri Lanka are out of this World Cup after winning only two of their nine games but for their fast-bowling stalwart Dilshan Madushanka, it was a memorable journey as he got 21 wickets in just nine games and ended up as his team’s highest wicket-taking bowler in the tournament.
The 23-year-old speedster tried his best to stop India’s juggernaut at the Wankhede Stadium, with his disciplined bowling. Against the Men in Blue, he recorded 5/80 figures in 10 overs, which included the wickets of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, and Shreyas Iyer.
Sri Lanka failed to defend 280 runs against Bangladesh at the Arun Jaitley Stadium but in this contest, Madushanka displayed courage with the ball. The 23-year-old provided early breakthroughs to his side, removing Tanzid Hasan and Liton Das within seven overs. Later in the game, he also outclassed Mushfiqur Rahim.
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