Player of the Week: The dude who dropped Rohit
The coveted Cricket365 Player of the Week award, even more valuable than the ICC gongs handed out this week, according to the players, is given to a person who had a significant impact on the result of a game.
We're sticking to this trend by giving it to the dude who dropped Rohit Sharma just 260 runs shy of his new ODI world record: Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera. Without him, we would have had to endure another boring one-dayer.
Thisara's superb contribution to the match, and thus world cricket(!), happened when India opener Rohit was on just four runs, at the start of the fourth ODI in Kolkata.
Rohit, just back from a broken finger, got a thick edge off Shaminda Eranga while trying to pull the ball. Instead, it looped to third man, where Thisara waited, ran forward, ran too far forward, and dropped it. Sitter.
As a result, viewers were treated to one of the more entertaining innings in recent memory, thanks in large part to some abysmal bowling from the Sri Lankans. Thisara contributed even further by going for 43 runs in five overs. Champion.
The honourable mention of the week thus goes to Rohit, because he did everything he could to combat the tar road of a pitch, and even proceeded to make Virat Kohli, with a paltry 66, look sluggish and uninspired. Rohit ran him out though, which scuppered his chances of winning our trophy.
The (Ro)Hitman smashed a whopping 33 fours in his knock, and nine sixes, including one to the leg side which he picked up outside off. He accelerated from using up 70-odd balls for his 50, to needing just 173 balls for his eventual score of 264. This was 13 runs more than the entire Sri Lankan side could record.
Elsewhere in the world, a mention must go to Corey Anderson of New Zealand, who did his part for the Black Caps by breaking Ahmed Shehzad's face, thus preventing the Pakistan batsman from adding to his near double ton.
Latest
-
News
It’s a lot of fun – Heather Knight still enjoying captaining England
Knight succeeded Charlotte Edwards, who had a decade-long stint in the position, in June 2016.
-
England
On this day in 2018: Kevin Pietersen retires from professional cricket
The latter years of the Pietermaritzburg-born maverick’s career were spent on the T20 circuit.
-
England
Jofra Archer snaps off stump on impressive return from injury in India
The 28-year-old took two for 22 in seven overs.
-
County Cricket
Darren Gough steps down as managing director of cricket at Yorkshire
Gough said it was the “right time” to move on having been in the post since December 2021.
-
England
On this day in 2004: Steve Harmison takes seven for 12 against West Indies
The pace bowler produced a devastating spell at Sabina Park 20 years ago.
-
England
Jos Buttler feels refreshed and ready to enjoy ‘best years’ of his career
England’s white-ball team endured a poor 2023 which culminated in the disastrous defence of their World Cup crown in India.
-
England
Jos Buttler confident ‘special cricketer’ Jofra Archer will be fit for World Cup
Archer has not represented his country since last March when he featured in a T20 match in Bangladesh.
-
Indian Premier League
England batter Harry Brook withdraws from IPL following death of his grandmother
Brook pulled out of England’s five-Test tour to India before the squad flew out from their training camp in the United Arab Emirates.