World Cup 2019: Brett Lee predicts the Player of the Tournament

Not one amongst the bowlers, but Australia’s veteran pacer Brett Lee believes it’s going to be a batsman who bags the ‘Man of the Tournament’ title in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup. But it’s not the India skipper Virat Kohli, a top favourite and contender for the highest run-getter at the conclusion of the showpiece event. The player Lee has chosen looks more determined and fitter than ever and that will be his reason to shine believes the ex-cricketer.

While New Zealander Martin Guptill amassed 547 runs in 9 matches in the previous edition, Mitchell Starc a part of the champion Australian team clinched the ‘Player of the tournament’ title with 22 wickets in 8 outings. But this World Cup is supposedly going to be a tournament for the batsmen as high scores are being predicted due to English conditions.

As the first game of the quadrennial tournament kicks off with the home team England clashing against South Africa at the Oval, it will be exciting to see the much-anticipated batting fireworks taking shape. Run machines like the Indian skipper Virat Kohli, ‘Hitman’ Rohit Sharma, ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle, power hitters of England Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler are set to light up the stage. Meanwhile, the tournament will also witness the best bowlers in the current scenario – Jasprit Bumrah, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, etc.

Warner looks hungry for runs, says Lee

However, former Australian great Brett Lee believes David Warner will outshine them all with his amazing unstoppable talent and will be the ‘Player of the Tournament’ in World Cup 2019. We have all seen Warner’s exploits in the IPL 2019 for SRH as he clinched the Orange Cap title having amassed 692 runs in only 12 outings. According to the Fox, Lee said, “[Warner] looks hungry – batting the best I’ve ever seen him bat.”

A one-year international ban has not stopped the left-handed batsman and in fact, has increased his hunger for runs.“It was a more – I use the word ‘hungry’ because you can see it in his eyes and the shots he played. “He wasn’t lost in his batting. He wasn’t throwing his wicket away,” Lee added.

The former Australian cricketer further said that Warner has come a long way in answering his critics. “Warner was probably targeted before through the press about getting a good 30 or 40 and then throwing away a potential hundred. But he did not do that.”

Also read- India’s current Men and Women combined ODI XI

Warner ran and he looked fit even when exposed 43 degrees in Hyderabad, says Lee

Lee has further heaped praise on the 32-year-old for his hard work and fitness. It is clear that the pressure and challenges of the World Cup won’t wear him down. “He ran – he looked fit,” Lee added. “43 degrees in Hyderabad, I was watching him in one of the playoffs, and he ran, and ran, and ran. To me, that’s a sign of being hungry.”We can all stand there and hit sixes but when you’ve got to work hard for your runs … I’m going to put him in for the most amount of runs [at the World Cup],” he concluded

As the defending champions start their World Cup campaign against Afghanistan on 1 June at the Bristol County Ground, all eyes will be on the left-handed opener.

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