The T20 World Cup came to a thrilling conclusion over the weekend, with India clinching their second title by beating South Africa.
Rohit Sharma's side claimed a seven-run win over the Proteas in Barbados on Saturday.
Virat Kohli turned on the style at just the right time, while Jasprit Bumrah starred with the ball.
But what about the standout statistics when looking back at the tournament as a whole?
Afghanistan duo top the charts
Afghanistan were the unlikely semi-finalists as they finished second in Group 1 of the Super 8s, ahead of Australia.
And their deep run owed much to the form of Rahmanullah Gurbaz with the bat and Fazalhaq Farooqi with the ball.
Gurbaz finished as the tournament's top scorer, with 281 runs across his eight innings - an average of 35.12. He had a strike rate of 124.33 and a high score of 80, hitting three half-centuries and plundering 16 sixes and 18 fours.
India captain Rohit was second on the list, 24 runs back (257), with Australia's Travis Head third with 253, though they both boasted a better strike rate than Gurbaz (156.7 and 158.38 respectively).
Farooqi, meanwhile, took a tournament-leading 17 wickets, a tally he shared with India's Arshdeep Singh.
However, while Singh went for 215 runs from his 30 overs, Farooqi conceded just 160 runs from his 25.2 overs, for a bowling economy of 6.31.
Farooqi also finished with the best figures for a single match, taking 5-9 against Uganda on June 3.
India's hero Bumrah, meanwhile, finished with figures of 15-124, while South Africa paceman Anrich Nortje took 15-201.
Pooran the entertainer
West Indies could not get over the line in their home tournament, but that was not for the efforts of Nicholas Pooran, who proved to be the World Cup's great entertainer.
If Pooran was involved, you could bet there would be fun, as he smashed 17 sixes across his seven innings.
He also claimed the tournament's highest score, with his 98 from just 53 balls against Afghanistan on June 17, as the Windies set the highest score of the competition (218-5).
That knock included a remarkable eight maximums, so essentially half of Pooran's total.
Australia's Head struck the most fours (26), while South Africa skipper Aiden Markram was the one to avoid in the field when hitting big.
Markram took eight catches in nine matches, leading the tournament ahead of Harry Brook, Tristen Stubbs and Glenn Maxwell (all seven).
Records tumble in the final
Kohli smashed 76 runs from 59 balls in the final, helping India reach 176-7 - that is the highest score in a men's T20 World Cup final.
India's former captain had managed just 75 runs combined across his previous seven innings before the final, but came into form at the right time.
However, he bowed out of the shortest format having become just the third player to score more than 50 runs in multiple men's T20 World Cup finals, after Marlon Samuels and Kumar Sangakkara.
Yet South Africa looked all set to claim the trophy as they started the chase brilliantly, with Heinrich Klaasen reaching 50 from just 23 deliveries.
It is the fastest half-century in a men's T20 World Cup final, with Klaassen overtaking the previous record, set by Mitchell Marsh in 2021, by eight balls.
But from needing 30 runs from as many deliveries, South Africa collapsed, and India became the third team to win the T20 World Cup on multiple occasions, after West Indies and England.
Gillespie defends under-fire Pakistan captain Masood ahead of England Test series
Jason Gillespie insists Shan Masood has a "clear plan" as Pakistan's Test captain.
Pakistan's red-ball skipper has faced scrutiny after overseeing five straight defeats as captain, starting by being whitewashed 3-0 by Australia last December.
That was followed by a shock 2-0 series defeat to Bangladesh last month, which marked Gillespie's first as Pakistan Test coach.
Next up is a three-match series with England, where Joe Root (12,402) is 71 away from surpassing Alastair Cook (12,472) as the all-time leading run scorer for England in men’s Tests, beginning in Multan on Monday.
Speaking on BBC World Service's Stumped podcast, Gillespie said of Masood: "Shan has got a very clear plan on how the Test side should play and we are completely aligned on that," the 49-year-old said.
"There are things people don't see and I've been really impressed by his communication with the players and how he's gone about doing his job."
Gillespie added that he believes part of the issue is improving the fitness of the team.
He added: "We can't afford to have players in international cricket who are not fit or strong enough to negotiate the rigours of the game.
"What I've learned from the Bangladesh series is that we've got some wonderful players, but we need to be more consistent. We've got the skills but we need to keep fine-tuning them.
"There's also been plenty of talks around fitness and we're making sure that it's a key component for us going forward."
Deitz wants Windies Women to capitalize on strong positions ahead of World Cup opener- “We have to be dangerous for longer”
Head Coach of the West Indies Women’s team Shane Deitz is looking for his squad to show more killer instinct ahead of their opening game of the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup against South Africa on Friday.
Deitz spoke to CWI Media after the team’s second Warm-up game, a 35-run defeat at the hands of defending World T20 champions, Australia.
During that game, the team had Australia on the ropes with the ball and then with the bat.
At one point during the Australian innings, the West Indies had them reeling at 44-4 and 59-5 before they eventually made 144-8.
With the bat, the regional outfit were 68-1 in the 10th over before eventually being bowled out for 109.
“We had them on the ropes but we didn’t deliver the killer knockout punch. If we’re going to win this World Cup, that’s what we’ve got to do,” Deitz said.
“We have to have the perfect game. 20 overs with the bat. 20 overs with the ball. When we get in those situations and get on top, we’ve got to nail them,” he added.
Even with the losses to India and Australia in preparation for the World Cup, having the defending champions in those positions means that there is a lot of potential within this group.
To consistently defeat the best teams in the world, you have to maintain that high standard of play for as long as possible throughout the game.
Deitz echoed similar sentiments.
“The results aren’t the be all end all in the practice games. What we want is to play good cricket and we are doing that, just not for long enough. Once we get that longer, we have a chance to scare a few teams at this World Cup,” he said.
“Everyone’s in good spirits and we’ve shown that we’re a dangerous team. We just have to be dangerous for longer. The girls are backing themselves and everyone’s looking forward to the start of this World Cup,” he added.
As for the approach he wants his team to have in this tournament, Deitz wants to take the game to the opposition.
“If we’re going to win this, we’ve got to play attacking cricket. We’ve got to back ourselves and take on the opposition. That’s the mindset we’ve got to continue with,” he said.
Johnson Charles credits positive mindset for stellar performance against Amazon Warriors
St. Lucia Kings opener Johnson Charles attributed his match-winning performance against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on Wednesday night in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to maintaining a positive mindset. Charles, who has been in stellar form throughout the season, top-scored with a blazing 79 from 45 balls, which included eight fours and five sixes. His efforts helped the Kings post a formidable total of 198-5, ultimately securing a 15-run victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.
Reflecting on his performance, Charles emphasized the importance of staying positive, especially when facing challenges from bowlers. “It's all about being positive, having that positive intent. I have been dismissed the most by left-arm spinners, but still, you’ve got to be positive and find ways to score. I am all about that positive intent and getting my team off to a great start,” Charles said.
This season has been Charles’ most successful CPL campaign yet, with the St. Lucian star amassing 445 runs—a career-best. His explosive innings against the Warriors, which featured a commanding opening partnership of 124 runs with skipper Faf du Plessis, was crucial in putting the Kings in a winning position. Charles credited the synergy between him and du Plessis for their success at the top of the order.
“We feed off each other’s energy. We have different styles of play; that gives us a very good understanding, and it also plays with the bowlers' minds,” Charles explained, highlighting how their contrasting approaches have unsettled opposition bowlers.
Charles’ performance not only demonstrated his improved shot-making, but also his adaptability. He acknowledged that the evolution of the game requires constant innovation, both mentally and technically. “The game is evolving, and you’ve got to keep up the pace. Seeing that bowlers are always studying you and always trying to keep you bogged down, it’s all about staying up with the pace. I have been practicing different ways of scoring, whether it’s the switch hit or paddle sweep off the pacers, and it’s going good for me,” he said.
With the Kings now on the cusp of a first CPL title, Charles believes that 2024 could finally be their year to lift the CPL trophy. “This means a lot; for so many years we have been trying. I believe this year is our year. I think we have a very good chance, and it’s our year to win this,” he concluded.
As Charles continues to shine with the bat, his form and positive mindset will be critical as the Kings push for their first-ever CPL title.
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