In the first two weeks of April, our Gulf Giants have shown off their skills in various cricket tournaments, and boy, have they been impressive! Let’s have a look at their performances:
Dipendra Singh Airee: Let's start with the big-hitting Dipendra Singh Airee from Nepal. Fondly called ‘Tiger’ by his fans, Dipendra made history by smashing 6 sixes in a T20I match against Qatar. Only two other players, Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard, have done that before. Dipendra's bat was on fire, scoring 64 runs off just 21 balls. He was the star of the show, no doubt!
Shimron Hetmyer: Next up, Shimron Hetmyer. The West Indian smasher has not got many chances to bat in the Indian T20 League this season, but whenever he has got the chance, he has made it count. In a match against Punjab, he played a crucial role in Rajasthan's victory. Needing 30 runs in 14 balls, Hetmyer showed nerves of steel, hitting boundaries and sealing the deal with two sixes in the final over. Talk about clutch!
Jordan Cox: The English batter showed his class in the County Championship. Playing for Essex against Nottinghamshire, he scored a solid 84 runs off 150 balls. His innings played a crucial role in Essex reaching a decent score in the first innings. In the end, Hampshire won the game by a massive 254 runs.
Jamie Smith: Jamie Smith, representing Surrey in the County Championship, also had a good day against Somerset. He scored 51 runs off 77 balls, including 7 fours and 2 sixes. After Surrey had a good start to the innings, courtesy of Rory Burns and Dominic Sibley, Smith piled on the misery with a brilliant knock.
James Vince: James Vince, the captain of Hampshire, continued his good form from the ILT20 into the County Championship. In a match against Lancashire, he scored 56 runs, stabilizing the innings after his team lost some early wickets. Vince is proving to be a reliable performer for Hampshire.
Liam Dawson: Last but not least, Liam Dawson, another Hampshire player, showed his talent in the County Championship by scoring 86 runs off 170 balls. His partnership with Tom Prest, who scored 85, was crucial in Hampshire reaching a total of 367 runs. Without Dawson's contribution, Hampshire would have struggled to put up a competitive score.