Fans often feel that intent helps any team wins a match in cricket. If a batter blasts at the start, it means that his team will have the upper hand, but that does not mean that his team will surely win the match, especially in the ODI format.
Unlike T20Is, it is important to rotate strike during the middle overs in the 50-over format and focus on building partnerships. England cricket team has suffered a lot because they tried to play Bazball technique in the 50-over World Cup.
There have been such players who hit a quickfire half-century for their team in the 50-over format, but their team ended up losing the game. Here’s a list of three such players.
3. Kusal Perera – 22 balls for 50 in ODI WC match vs. NZ
During yesterday’s 2023 World Cup match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the island nation’s opener Kusal Perera provided a blistering start to his name with a 22-ball 50 at the top of the order. However, the Sri Lankan middle-order collapsed against the New Zealand bowlers, and the entire team managed only 171 runs. New Zealand ended up winning the match by five wickets.
2. Dinesh Chandimal – 22 balls for 50 in WC match vs. AUS
Eight years ago, Dinesh Chandimal also hit a 22-ball 50 in a World Cup match for Sri Lanka. The opponent was Australia, and the Sri Lankan side needed 377 runs for a win. Chandimal retired hurt when he was 52 off 24 balls. Sri Lanka lost the contest by 64 runs.
1. Sanath Jayasuriya – 17 balls for 50 vs. PAK
It is tough to imagine that a 17-ball 50 would end in a losing cause, but the same happened in 1996 during a match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Sanath Jayasuriya scored 76 runs off 28 balls in the Singer Cup Final, but Pakistan ended up winning by 43 runs while defending a 216-run target.
