The Quintessential ICC Cricket World Cup Wicket-Keepers
As we eagerly count down the days until the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 kicks off in England and Wales – a mere 482 days away, not that we’re keeping track like Kumar Sangakkara and his record-breaking dismissals – it’s time to dive into the exhilarating realm of wicket-keeping wizardry at the grandest cricketing spectacle.
1. Kumar Sangakkara: A Master Behind the Stumps
Kumar Sangakkara, the virtuoso of wicket-keeping finesse, claims his rightful place atop the World Cup dismissals leaderboard. An astonishing 54 times he was the architect of batsmen’s downfall across 36 innings. That’s an average of 1.5 dismissals every time he stepped behind the stumps.
The maestro embarked on his World Cup journey with a trio of catches and a stumping against New Zealand in 2003 – a tournament that crowned him with 17 dismissals. His legacy expanded with 15 scalps in 2007, followed by 14 in 2011, and a graceful exit with eight more in 2015.
Sangakkara’s pinnacle moment? A quartet of dismissals in a single innings, a feat achieved thrice – twice in 2003 and once in 2011. Moreover, he reigns supreme as the Sultan of Stumpings, boasting an unparalleled 13 stumpings in the World Cup arena.
2. Adam Gilchrist: The Australian Marvel
No assemblage of legendary wicket-keepers can overlook the magnetic presence of Adam Gilchrist. He might play second fiddle to Sangakkara in dismissals, but his brilliance echoes resoundingly.
His indelible stamp on the 2003 World Cup resonates with 21 dismissals in a mere 10 innings – a record for a single edition. And who could forget the six-catch masterpiece against Namibia in 2003, a record shared with Sarfraz Ahmed?
Gilchrist’s statistic symphony resonates with an average of 1.677 dismissals per innings, the zenith among the elite quintet.
For More Information Click Here
3. MS Dhoni: India’s Guardian of the Wickets
The name MS Dhoni resonates as a guardian of the stumps. With 32 dismissals embellishing his World Cup tale, he stands joint third on the leaderboard. And with the 2019 tournament looming, his tally might just grow.
Participating in three editions (2007, 2011, 2015), Dhoni garnered 32 dismissals in 20 games, a steady 1.6 per innings. His pièce de résistance was the 2015 semifinal journey, marked by 15 elegant catches.
The crown jewel? Four dismissals in a single innings, sculpted against Bangladesh in 2015.
4. Brendon McCullum: New Zealand’s Safe Hands
Sharing the third pedestal
with Dhoni is New Zealand’s maestro, Brendon McCullum. His 32 dismissals unveiled the artistry behind his gloves. While Dhoni boasts an unbroken streak, McCullum sparkled in 25 outings out of 34 games.
His rhythm at 1.280 dismissals per innings traversed four World Cup editions (2003, 2007, 2011, 2015). The Caribbean breeze of 2007 saw McCullum at his zenith, plucking 14 scalps in 10 innings.
5. Mark Boucher: South Africa’s Legendary Guardian
Mark Boucher, the custodian of 555 Test dismissals, concludes our World Cup saga with 31 scalps from 25 innings. A testament to his artistry, with an average of 1.240 dismissals per innings.
His inaugural World Cup voyage in 1999 yielded 11 dismissals, a record he matched in 2003. His apex? A quartet of catches against Australia in the epochal tied semi-final at Edgbaston, etched in the annals of cricketing history.
As the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 beckons, we pay homage to these stalwarts who brought us moments of awe, grace, and stumping splendor.
