Adil Rashid is the man to spin England to Cricket World Cup glory according to former international Monty Panesar.
Much has been made of England’s ability to score big with the bat, with no nation bettering the 481-6 they made against Australia last year.
As such their ability with the ball has somewhat slipped under the radar, with Moeen Ali and Rashid quietly building a formidable partnership to match any team in the world.
That’s where the World Cup will be won and lost in Panesar’s eyes, believing the ability with the willow is pointless if England can’t defend the big totals.
Stop what you’re doing and watch this piece of skill!
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 19, 2019
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“There are so many other wrist spinners in the other World Cup teams but Rashid is the only one who flights it more than the others,” said Panesar, speaking on the latest leg of the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour, driven by Nissan.
“The likes of Rashid Khan, Adam Zampa, Ish Sodhi, they all fizz the ball but Adil is given the encouragement by Morgan to flight it up.
“He doesn’t mind if he goes for a few sixes, Eoin Morgan knows that getting one of those key batsmen out is going to be the real key as to whether a team makes a big score or not.
“Sometimes captains don’t look after their spinners in that way, they’re all but restricting runs as opposed to taking wickets.
“In that 40-50-over mark teams are usually afraid to use their spinners but Eoin has Adil as a wicket-taking option, that takes a lot of confidence in your spinner.
“Rashid is comfortable with being hit for a few in the over, he takes the wickets that really matter and that makes a real difference.”
While Rashid’s route to become England’s tour de force is of his own making, Panesar believes captain Morgan deserves plenty of credit for his rise.
And with nine World Cup round-robin matches to come before the knockout phase even takes shape, the hard work is far from done there.
The biggest summer of cricket is upon us!
— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) May 9, 2019
Our @englandcricket players spent the day with @NatWest_Cricket discovering all the exciting things in store to make cricket easier for everyone to enjoy…
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That’s where the skipper will come into his own believes Panesar, with his ability to manage the spin bowlers the potential key to England’s 50-over success.
“I think Eoin Morgan is the best captain in world cricket when it comes to using his spinners,” added Panesar.
“He understands when to bowl them more than anyone else in world cricket and that’s why he’s getting the best out of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.
“Adil is a wicket-taking option and Morgan knows exactly what works well for him, he allows him to set that example for other spinners in that team.
“As a spinner you want to be playing in all the games, you get the momentum and the form by playing match after match and I think the guys will be really wanting that.”
- ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy Tour, driven by Nissan, commences 100-day tour of England and Wales and will be at over 100 locations and events before arriving back in London ready for the opening match on May 30
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