ESPNcricinfo Awards 2022 Men's ODI batting nominees: Bracewell goes berserk, Kishan goes massive
Our nominees aced chases, broke records and flayed bowlers around the world
Himanshu Agrawal
04-Mar-2023
Rassie van der Dussen got South Africa off to a winning start in a series they eventually won 3-0 • Getty Images
Rassie van der Dussen
129 not out vs India
first ODI, Paarl
South Africa were 68 for 3 in the 18th over when van der Dussen came out to bat. It was a dry pitch, on which Temba Bavuma had struggled to 23 off 45 balls until then. But van der Dussen raced to 27 from 21 deliveries, a sign of things to come. He set a solid platform, and the last eight overs produced 74 runs. During that period, van der Dussen got to his century (off 83 balls), finishing unbeaten on 129 from 96. He took South Africa to 296, which was enough for a comfortable win.
129 not out vs India
first ODI, Paarl
South Africa were 68 for 3 in the 18th over when van der Dussen came out to bat. It was a dry pitch, on which Temba Bavuma had struggled to 23 off 45 balls until then. But van der Dussen raced to 27 from 21 deliveries, a sign of things to come. He set a solid platform, and the last eight overs produced 74 runs. During that period, van der Dussen got to his century (off 83 balls), finishing unbeaten on 129 from 96. He took South Africa to 296, which was enough for a comfortable win.
Michael Bracewell
127 not out vs Ireland
first ODI, Malahide
With 20 to get off the last over, and one wicket in hand, New Zealand's No. 7, Bracewell, calmly thrashed Craig Young for two fours, a six, another four and another six to seal the deal. That finishing touch crowned his maiden ODI hundred, off 74 balls, and shattered Ireland's - and the sellout crowd's - dreams of beating New Zealand for the first time in any format. Bracewell helped crash 101 runs off the last ten overs - from which he got 86 off 36, adding 61 for the seventh wicket with Ish Sodhi, and 64 for the ninth with Lockie Ferguson.
127 not out vs Ireland
first ODI, Malahide
With 20 to get off the last over, and one wicket in hand, New Zealand's No. 7, Bracewell, calmly thrashed Craig Young for two fours, a six, another four and another six to seal the deal. That finishing touch crowned his maiden ODI hundred, off 74 balls, and shattered Ireland's - and the sellout crowd's - dreams of beating New Zealand for the first time in any format. Bracewell helped crash 101 runs off the last ten overs - from which he got 86 off 36, adding 61 for the seventh wicket with Ish Sodhi, and 64 for the ninth with Lockie Ferguson.
Finn Allen
96 vs West Indies
second ODI, Bridgetown
It was an atypical innings from Allen, who often sets a blistering pace early. On a surface not suited to big shots and quick runs, he watched as New Zealand were reduced to 31 for 3; until then, he had 20 off 25 balls, while the others had managed about half as many. Allen got stuck in, scoring slow as he nudged and tucked his way up to 59 from 84 balls, before unleashing three fours and two sixes in ten balls to finish on 96 off 117. New Zealand's 212 proved more than enough.
96 vs West Indies
second ODI, Bridgetown
It was an atypical innings from Allen, who often sets a blistering pace early. On a surface not suited to big shots and quick runs, he watched as New Zealand were reduced to 31 for 3; until then, he had 20 off 25 balls, while the others had managed about half as many. Allen got stuck in, scoring slow as he nudged and tucked his way up to 59 from 84 balls, before unleashing three fours and two sixes in ten balls to finish on 96 off 117. New Zealand's 212 proved more than enough.
Rishabh Pant
125 not out vs England
third ODI, Manchester
Pant had been out three times in the 70s, and once on 85, before he finally got this ODI hundred. It came after India were 72 for 4 in the 17th over chasing 260. From there, Pant took them to the safety of needing just 24 in nine overs. In the next over, he proceeded to bludgeon five fours off David Willey. It applied the coup de grace to an innings where he added 133 with Hardik Pandya, pacing himself perfectly: the first 46 runs took 70 balls as he rebuilt, and the other 79 came from 43 as he blasted off.
125 not out vs England
third ODI, Manchester
Pant had been out three times in the 70s, and once on 85, before he finally got this ODI hundred. It came after India were 72 for 4 in the 17th over chasing 260. From there, Pant took them to the safety of needing just 24 in nine overs. In the next over, he proceeded to bludgeon five fours off David Willey. It applied the coup de grace to an innings where he added 133 with Hardik Pandya, pacing himself perfectly: the first 46 runs took 70 balls as he rebuilt, and the other 79 came from 43 as he blasted off.
Cameron Green
89 not out vs New Zealand
first ODI, Cairns
Australia had crashed to 44 for 5 against Trent Boult and Matt Henry in pursuit of 233. But Cameron Green and Alex Carey hadn't given up yet. After a cautious start, that included a streaky four off Lockie Ferguson, Green decided to hit back. He smacked Michael Bracewell for six, and a few overs later, twice swept Mitchell Santner for fours. Boult came back on, but Green got to his maiden ODI fifty soon after. He and Carey added a match-turning 158, and though another three wickets fell in three overs, Green took Australia home with miles to spare.
89 not out vs New Zealand
first ODI, Cairns
Australia had crashed to 44 for 5 against Trent Boult and Matt Henry in pursuit of 233. But Cameron Green and Alex Carey hadn't given up yet. After a cautious start, that included a streaky four off Lockie Ferguson, Green decided to hit back. He smacked Michael Bracewell for six, and a few overs later, twice swept Mitchell Santner for fours. Boult came back on, but Green got to his maiden ODI fifty soon after. He and Carey added a match-turning 158, and though another three wickets fell in three overs, Green took Australia home with miles to spare.
Travis Head
152 vs England
third ODI, Melbourne
Such was Head's dominance in Australia's opening partnership of this game that he overshadowed even an attacking David Warner, contributing 152 in their stand of 269. Head kept finding the boundary regularly from the start, using the mandatory powerplay to set the tone. He was on 65 off 66 balls when rain stopped play, but that hardly broke his momentum, and he got to his century less than 30 balls later. He slogged, swept, and lifted Australia to 355, and eventually a 221-run DLS win.
152 vs England
third ODI, Melbourne
Such was Head's dominance in Australia's opening partnership of this game that he overshadowed even an attacking David Warner, contributing 152 in their stand of 269. Head kept finding the boundary regularly from the start, using the mandatory powerplay to set the tone. He was on 65 off 66 balls when rain stopped play, but that hardly broke his momentum, and he got to his century less than 30 balls later. He slogged, swept, and lifted Australia to 355, and eventually a 221-run DLS win.
Tom Latham
145 not out vs India
first ODI, Auckland
When the 40th over of New Zealand's chase began, they needed 91 to achieve their target of 307. Latham, on 77 at the time, smacked a six and four fours off a Shardul Thakur over that cost India 25 runs. Latham went on to seal the chase with an unbeaten stand of 221 off 164 deliveries with Kane Williamson. All this after coming in at 88 for 3. Who would have imagined that no one else would get to bat?
145 not out vs India
first ODI, Auckland
When the 40th over of New Zealand's chase began, they needed 91 to achieve their target of 307. Latham, on 77 at the time, smacked a six and four fours off a Shardul Thakur over that cost India 25 runs. Latham went on to seal the chase with an unbeaten stand of 221 off 164 deliveries with Kane Williamson. All this after coming in at 88 for 3. Who would have imagined that no one else would get to bat?
Mehidy Hasan Miraz
100 not out vs India
second ODI, Mirpur
From 69 for 6 to 271 for 7: Mehidy shocked India with a hundred from No. 8, and added 148 - Bangladesh's highest ODI stand for any wicket against India - with Mahmudullah. The last two overs produced 30 runs, off which Mehidy bashed 28 from nine deliveries. Washington Sundar was on a hat-trick when Mehidy faced the first ball of his innings, but the batter ended up taking eight off the over - a portent of what was coming.
100 not out vs India
second ODI, Mirpur
From 69 for 6 to 271 for 7: Mehidy shocked India with a hundred from No. 8, and added 148 - Bangladesh's highest ODI stand for any wicket against India - with Mahmudullah. The last two overs produced 30 runs, off which Mehidy bashed 28 from nine deliveries. Washington Sundar was on a hat-trick when Mehidy faced the first ball of his innings, but the batter ended up taking eight off the over - a portent of what was coming.
Ishan Kishan
210 vs Bangladesh
third ODI, Chattogram
An injury replacement for this match, Kishan scored 28 runs more than the entire Bangladesh line-up managed, cracking the fastest ever ODI double-hundred in the process. He got to 50 from 49 deliveries, to his first hundred off 85 and then cranked it up, getting to 150 from 103, and 200 off 126. The fours and sixes kept coming, 24 and ten apiece, and with every shot, Kishan made the Bangladesh bowlers look ordinary. Of the bowlers off whom he faced at least 20 deliveries on the day, his lowest strike rate was 144.
210 vs Bangladesh
third ODI, Chattogram
An injury replacement for this match, Kishan scored 28 runs more than the entire Bangladesh line-up managed, cracking the fastest ever ODI double-hundred in the process. He got to 50 from 49 deliveries, to his first hundred off 85 and then cranked it up, getting to 150 from 103, and 200 off 126. The fours and sixes kept coming, 24 and ten apiece, and with every shot, Kishan made the Bangladesh bowlers look ordinary. Of the bowlers off whom he faced at least 20 deliveries on the day, his lowest strike rate was 144.
Himanshu Agrawal is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo