The cricketing action in January has been nothing short of thrilling, with tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, Afghanistan's tour of India, the SA20, and Zimbabwe's tour of Sri Lanka. The last week, in particular, witnessed some outstanding performances from our Shers, and here are a few highlights:
Sikandar Raza: 62 (42) and 3/13 vs Sri Lanka
Zimbabwe's cricketing giant, Sikandar Raza, showcased his T20 brilliance against Sri Lanka. His stellar all-round performance included a splendid 62 off 42 balls and an impactful bowling spell where he took 3 wickets for just 13 runs. Despite his efforts, Zimbabwe faced defeat.
Rilee Rossouw: 82 (45) vs Paarl Royals
In the SA20, Rilee Rossouw continued his exceptional form with a magnificent knock of 82. Chasing a challenging target of 211 against Paarl Royals, his aggressive batting took Pretoria Capitals close to victory, but they fell short in the end.
Arshdeep Singh: 3/32 vs Afghanistan
Arshdeep Singh was on song as usual and delivered a standout performance in the second T20I against Afghanistan. Bowling first, he claimed 3 crucial wickets, setting the stage for India's successful chase.
Rishi Dhawan: 3/36 and 37, 2/54 and 51 vs Uttarakhand
Rishi Dhawan's experience was on full display in the Ranji Trophy against Uttarakhand. In both innings he made crucial contributions with both ball and bat, taking 3 for 36 and scoring 37 runs in the first innings before picking up 2 for 54 and hitting 51 in the second innings. Sadly for his side, Uttarakhand emerged victorious in the match.
Tanay Thyagarajann: 2/23, 35(38), and 3/45 against Meghalaya
Playing for Hyderabad, Tanay Thyagarajann delivered an outstanding all-round performance against Meghalaya. He showcased his bowling skills with 2 wickets for 23 runs and then contributed valuable runs with the bat (35 off 38 balls) in the first innings before sealing the game with a fine 3-wicket haul in the second innings.