It has come all the way down to England and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2022. Pakistan reached the final of the event after upsetting New Zealand in the semi-final. Surprisingly, for England, it was quite an easy ride as India never challenged them in the semi-final clash. Gearing up for one last battle, respective captains Babar Azam and Jos Buttler appeared for a press conference. Both the leaders presented their choice for the “Player of the Tournament” title while in the interaction.
Following this year’s event, ICC put up a list of 9 players eligible for this title. The list includes Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Sikander Raza, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Sam Curran, Alex Hales, and Wanindu Hasaranga. India’s former skipper, Virat Kohli is the current highest-scorer of the tournament with 296 runs. Kohli has maintained an average of 123.00, scoring 4 half-centuries in 5 innings. However, despite the impressive performance, Kohli is not the preferred name for the title in Azam’s and Buttler’s opinion.
Jos Buttler Lists His Choice For the “Player of the Tournament” Title
When asked, the English captain listed the name of his teammates Sam Curran and Alex Hales citing their performances. However, his preference for the title clearly favors India’s newly found Mr. 360° Suryakumar Yadav. “I think Suryakumar Yadav. I think Suryakumar Yadav for me has been someone who has played with extreme freedom. He has been incredibly eye-catching to watch in such a star-studded line-up. To stand out the way he has is amazing,” Buttler said. “Of course there’s a couple of our guys on that sheet as well – Sam Curran and Alex Hales. If they put in a great performance in the final, they can be the Player of the Tournament for me,” he added.
Buttler’s preference for Yadav iterates with many who witnessed the carnage he brought down in Australia. Yadav played some, as Buttler mentioned “eye-catching” shots. Almost innovative shots wherein he treated the fine-leg area as the covers. Consequently, he’s currently the third highest-scorer with 239 runs scored at a strike rate of 189.68. Moreover, Yadav also scored three half-centuries in the campaign till the semi-finals where India bowed out off the tournament.
Babar Azam Clear In His Choice For the Title
Babar Azam, however, kept his choices limited to his team. The skipper put forth the name of Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shadab Khan for the title. Shadab Khan has showcased some serious character in the tournament. Khan maintained the team’s performance regularly in the Super 12 stage when the opening pair departed cheaply. The all-rounder has scalped 10 wickets in the tournament as yet. And his knock of 52 scored against South Africa is one to remember for a long time.
“I think it should be Shadab Khan for the way he is playing. While his bowling has been outstanding, his batting also improved quite a bit. His dominating performances in the last three games along with his outstanding fielding makes him a prime contender for the Player of the Tournament,” said Babar. Meanwhile, the England Vs Pakistan final is scheduled for Sunday, 13th November amidst a rain scare at the MCG.
