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Cricket Betting us

Andries Gous and the Other World Cup Gems Heading for a Winter of T20 Stardom

United States' Andries Gous plays a shot
United States' Andries Gous plays a shot
©IANS
By Cricket World Staff

From a purely financial standpoint, T20 is where it’s at in modern cricket.

Huge salaries are paid in many of the franchise leagues around the world, with the winter months (in the northern hemisphere) a particularly fine time with the Big Bash, Caribbean Premier League, Pakistan Super League and SA20 all in the itinerary.

It means that those that have thrived at the T20 World Cup are in great shape to secure themselves lucrative contracts in the months ahead – including some previously unheralded gems heading for the big time for the first time.

Andries Gous

With all due respect to them, few pundits were giving the United States any chance of success in their inaugural World Cup appearance.

Available at ICC World T20 2024 odds of 250/1 before a ball has been bowled, the USA was expected to be a cheery host that enjoyed a part of proceedings out in the middle.

But those cricket odds had tumbled to 100/1 at the start of the Super 8 phase of the competition, with the United States so impressive in qualifying from Group A ahead of the more experienced Pakistan and Ireland.

Key to their progress has been Andries Gous, who took to the world stage with aplomb.

The 30-year-old struck 211 runs from his first five innings at an average 52.75, while at the halfway stage of the Super 8 stage he had struck more boundaries than any other player and was one of just a handful to have made two or more half-centuries.

Although he has played some domestic T20 cricket in South Africa, Gous was an unknown quantity prior to the World Cup – his run-getting, plus his ability to keep wicket, will make him a much sought-after draft pick this T20 winter.

Ottneil Baartman

Like Gous, Ottneil Baartman is a late bloomer who, other than some domestic T20 action in South Africa, is not widely-known around the globe.

But his performances at the World Cup will soon change that, with the 31-year-old key to the Proteas’ impressive progress at the tournament.

He didn’t make his international debut until May, but after picking up 3-34 against the West Indies in a World Cup game, the medium pacer has impressed with his incredibly economical style.

After bowling 19 overs, Baartman’s economy rate was an outstanding 4.94 – in the T20 format, that is frugal to say the very least. Although statisticians tend to focus on wicket taking, there’s always a place in the shortest format for a miserly bowler with exceptional control; Baartman could fit the bill in the various drafts this winter.

Charith Asalanka

It was a tough World Cup for Sri Lanka, who would have been disappointed at missing out on Super 8 qualification at the hands of Bangladesh.

One of their players that caught the eye, however, was Charith Asalanka, who showed a real knack for clearing the rope.

The 26-year-old injected impetus into his side’s innings against Bangladesh, before pummelling 46 off 21 balls against the Netherlands – a knock that included five maximums.

In 47 international T20 innings, Asalanka has blasted 52 sixes – a remarkable figure and one that marks the Sri Lankan out (alongside Gous and Baartman) as ones to watch this winter.