Blog Posts by Impact Index

Continuing in our series of pieces on each country’s ODI history, we go to England. From 1971 to 2012 (before the start of the South Africa - England ODI Series), England played 582 matches and won 284 with a win loss ratio of 1.04. Their highest score is 391, lowest 86. They have finished as runners-up three times in World Cup – 1979, 1987 and 1992 and were also runners-up in Champions Trophy in 2004.

We present three lists – of players, batsmen and bowlers. The minimum qualification to be on these lists is to have played 75 matches (50 in case of bowlers). A match is considered in this system only when there is a result, and if the player has bowled or batted, as the case may be.

Here are the highest impact ODI players in England’s history.

Andrew Flintoff is so far ahead of the rest of England’s ODI players that it is almost unreal. Until it registers that he is the second highest impact ODI player in history (after Viv Richards). And the main reason for that is his tally of 7 Read More »from Bring out the Pom-poms

By Soham Sarkhel and Jatin Thakkar

1st Test match | 2nd Test match | 3rd Test match

In a Test series that was touted to be the ultimate showdown for the numero uno position in the Test rankings, the South Africans thoroughly outplayed and outperformed the English team to wrest away the ICC mace and to thump them to their worst-ever home defeat in the last 11 years. Here, are the highest impact players from the absorbing England-South Africa Test series that just concluded.

Observations:

Dale Steyn (3.43) emerges as the highest impact player although the man of the series award for South Africa was given to Hashim Amla (2.90) who follows Steyn as the second-highest impact performer of the series. Dale Steyn stamped his authority as one of the best fast bowlers in the world with his consistent bowling displays throughout the series which were not necessarily breath-taking in a Steyn-esque manner but were effective nonetheless as his impact numbers suggest.

His bowling display of 5-56 in the Read More »from England stars stumble, South Africans soar

Andy and Grant Flower during their playing days

 
Continuing in our series of pieces on each country’s ODI history, we go to Zimbabwe. From 1983 to 2012, Zimbabwe played 407 matches and won 107 with a win-loss ratio of 0.37. Their highest score is 351, lowest 35.

We present three lists – of players, batsmen and bowlers. The minimum qualification to be on these lists is to have played 50 matches. A match is considered in this system only when there is a result, and if the player has bowled or batted, as the case may be.

Here are the highest impact ODI players in Zimbabwe’s history.

Andy Flower’s name has been synonymous with Zimbabwean cricket over the years and it should not at all surprising to see him top this list as the highest impact player for Zimbabwe in their ODI cricket history. His measured approach at the crease and the calmness he portrayed throughout his career not only as a batsman but also as a wicket-keeper and later as a captain also makes him one of the highest impact ODI players from around the world. In fact, Andy Read More »from Zimbabwe’s Flower-power

By Soham Sarkhel and Jatin Thakkar

Scorecard links: 1st ODI, 2nd ODI, 3rd ODI, 4th ODI, 5th ODI

India’s run of not losing a bilateral series in Sri Lanka since 1997 continued successfully as they managed to see off a spirited Lankan challenge to clinch the 5 match ODI series 4-1. The Sri Lankans had their moments in the series but failed to capitalise on them and went on to lose their 6th consecutive ODI series against India.

Here is an overview of the series through the Impact Index lens.

Observations:

Interestingly, there are 4 players above Virat Kohli on this list with a higher overall impact in the series. However, amongst the players who competed in all the five matches of the series Kohli had the highest impact as a single-skilled player (Malinga edges out only because of his Batting IMPACT). Virat Kohli had an impact on all the batting parameters in the series and topped the Pressure and the Chasing IMPACT charts for India—something in which he has been brilliant throughout his Read More »from Kohli & co. clinch series

Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan

Continuing in our series of pieces on each country’s ODI history, we go to Bangladesh. From 1986 to 2012, Bangladesh played 262 matches and won 72 with a win loss ratio of 0.38. Their highest score is 320, lowest 58.

We present three lists – of players, batsmen and bowlers. The minimum qualification to be on these lists is to have played 50 matches. A match is considered in this system only when there is a result, and if the player has bowled or batted, as the case may be.

Here are the highest impact ODI players in Bangladesh’s history. As will be seen from all 3 lists, no individual player has dominated his country’s ODI impact as much as Shakib Al Hasan has for Bangladesh.

The continuous failure of Bangladesh as a team in the international arena is evident from the list above. Amongst the top 10 highest impact players in the history of Bangladeshi ODI cricket only one player has managed to have a Career IMPACT of above 2. However, what augurs well for them is the fact that as many Read More »from Shakib – a Bangladeshi legend

Continuing in our series of pieces on each country's ODI history, we go to Sri Lanka. From 1975 to 2012 (before the start of their current series against India), Sri Lanka played 667 matches and won 312 with a win loss ratio of 0.96. Their highest score is 443, lowest 43. They won the World Cup in 1996 and finished as runners-up in 2007 and 2011.

We present three lists - of players, batsmen and bowlers. The minimum qualification to be on these lists is to have played 75 matches. A match is considered in this system only when there is a result, and if the player has bowled or batted, as the case may be.

Here are the highest impact ODI players in Sri Lanka's history.

So, there are 8 specialist batsmen, 10 specialist bowlers and two all-rounders amidst the highest impact 20 players in Sri Lankan ODI cricket history; an indicator to Sri Lanka's image of being a well-balanced side in the international arena.

Unsurprisingly, it is Sanath Jayasuriya who tops the list and emerges as the highest Read More »from The original game changers

Continuing in our series of pieces on each country’s ODI history, we come home. From 1974 to 2012 (before the start of the current series in Sri Lanka), India played 804 matches and won 397 with a win loss ratio of 1.08. Their highest score is 418, lowest 54. They won the World Cup twice, in 1983 and 2011 and finished as runners-up in 2003.

We present three lists – of players, batsmen and bowlers. The minimum qualification to be on these lists is to have played 75 matches. A match is considered in this system only when there is a result, and if the player has bowled or batted, as the case may be.

Here are the highest impact ODI players in India’s history.

A first look at the list actually formulates the major problem Indian cricket has faced for a while now—the lack of a quality all-rounder. Out of the 20 players present on this list, only 4 qualify as proper all-rounders (Yuvraj Singh barely makes it as a genuine all-rounder).  The rest of the list is evenly spread out with 8 batsmen Read More »from The Great Indian Odyssey

By Soham Sarkhel and Jatin Thakkar

[For series scorecards, click here]

The New Zealand team of late have hit a downward spiral and their hopes of changing the same received a huge knock-back after West Indies completely battered them to take the 5 match ODI series, 4-1. To be fair, the Kiwis had their chances during the series and even produced some moments of individual brilliance but eventually they all fizzled out against a dominant West Indian performance.

Here is an overview of the series through the Impact Index lens.

Observations:

The overall dominance of West Indies in the series can be very clearly understood from the fact that 7 out of the 10 highest impact players in this series belonged to them. Conversely, 7 out of the 10 lowest impact players in the series belonged to New Zealand which really explains the one-sided affair on display during the ODI series.

Interestingly, BJ Watling (4.23) emerges as the highest impact player of the series. Even though he could play only 3 Read More »from Caribbean carnage