Cricket Feature: Anchors And hitters combination in current international teams

Cricket is a game of strategies. Different captains come up with different approaches to make decisions that can completely change the course of the game. A team's batting order is one such strategy. The coach and the captain discuss a lot to fix a particular batting order. Generally, a batting order comprises four types – Top order (top3), Middle Order, Finishers and tail-enders. Every team's strategy is that at least one of the batters from the top order should play till the end of the innings. This ensures the team can reach a good total or chase any target effortlessly. We can call that one player who plays until the back end of the innings as anchors and the players who play aggressively with a reasonable strike rate and relieve the pressure as power hitters.

6. Pakistan: (Babar Azam – Asif Ali)

Pakistan has stunned the cricketing fraternity with its performance in T20I World Cup 2021. Pakistan's batting strength is majorly dependent on the top order. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman made great partnerships in almost every game. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are currently in the first and second spots in ICC T20 Batting Rankings. They made excellent opening partnerships over the past two years. The opening partnership is the primary reason for Pakistan reaching the semi-final defeating India and New Zealand in the super12. In the death overs, Asif Ali played the role of the finisher, striking at 237.50 at an average of 57. Babar Azam as an anchor and Asif Ali as the hitter changed the momentum for Pakistan.

5. South Africa: (Rassie Van Der Dussen – Aiden Markram)

After the greats like AB de Villiers, Faf Du Plessis, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy left the Proteas, South Africa struggled a lot to shape a new team. But Cricket South Africa (CSA) has done a decent task of bringing young talent into the team. Aiden Markram and Rassie Van Der Dussen were two among them. Aiden Markram is a dashing middle-order batsman with an average of 39.20; striking at 147 is a good pick as a hitter. Rassie Van Der Dussen, at one down, plays the role of an anchor, scoring at an average of 38.34. Markram and Van Der Dussen are among the Top 10 ICC batting rankings. Besides these two, David Miller has been making some power-hitting severe cases since IPL 2022 and is looking unstoppable.

4. New Zealand: (Kane Williamson - Martin Guptill)

Kane Williamson is regarded as one of the FAB4 and has been the ship's captain for quite some time. Kane Williamson plays till the backend of the innings, scoring at an average of 32.6. In contrast, Martin Guptill, an aggressive opener, gives excellent starts to the black caps striking at 137 at an average of 33. New Zealand reached the finals in ICC T20 World Cup 2021 with great knocks between these two. However, the ongoing form of skipper can be a matter of concern.

3. India: (Virat Kohli – Hardik Pandya)

Virat Kohli needs no introduction; he is one of the greatest in the game. He is a perfect example of an anchor finishing many games and playing till the end scoring at an average of 51.5. He has been awarded the "player of the tournament" for two editions of the ICC T2O World Cup (2014 and 2016). Since returning from his injury, Hardik Pandya has won the IPL 2022 with a blistering performance he is known for. During the last series concluded against South Africa, he continued his finishing role. He looks all good and stable to take India into the World cup with his experience in finishing the game. With Virat Kohli anchoring from one end and Hardik Pandya attacking from the other, India would be unstoppable if this combination worked.

2. Australia: (David Warner – Glenn Maxwell)

Australia is the champion of ICC T20 WC 2021. David Warner is awarded the "player of the tournament" for scoring 289 runs at an average of 48.16. David Warner is an anchor for the Australian cricket team, and Glenn Maxwell is the power hitter. Maxwell plays well against spin and controls the middle overs. Maxwell has the potential to change the momentum of the game with his variety of shots like reverse sweep and switch hit, which make it very difficult for opposition captains to set the field for him. Glenn Maxwell at number 4 brings excellent balance to the team striking at 154.

1. England: (Jos Buttler – Liam Livingstone)

Jos Buttler is currently the best white-ball player in his dream form. He scores rapidly in the powerplay and has the potential to be there at the crease till the death overs. Liam Livingstone is a destructive middle-order batsman striking at 155 at an average of 47.3. He can completely change the course of the game in just one over, making him one of the best power hitters in the current generations. Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone make the best combination for the England T20 team.