IPL 2021: Dawid Malan Says World Number One Ranking Does Not Guarantee A 40-Ball Hundred Every Time

England batsman Dawid Malan might not have set the stage ablaze as expected in the recent T20 series in Inda; however, he remains a big-ticket player as far as his statistics go. The number one T20I batsman went on to accomplish the feat in September and has been consistent enough to hold the spot. But the left-hander defended his ranking, saying that number one ranking does not mean slamming 40-ball hundreds all the time.

Dawid Malan had a mediocre T20I series in India by his standards, as he managed only one half-century in five T20s. The southpaw managed only 148 runs at 37, keeping a decent strike rate of 120.33. But Malan has an incredible opportunity to put that behind when he plays his first IPL this year, plying his trade for the Punjab Kings. The veteran batsman fetched a deal of INR 1.5 crores and could be crucial to the franchise’s maiden title quest.

Dawid Malan revealed that scoring a 40-ball century every time a number one batsman walks out to bat is not how the game works. The 33-year old also stated that T20 cricket is not about mindless or reckless slogging and it involves playing strategically by building partnerships. Malan feels that batsmen have to put their egos to rest and think for the team.

“People may think you are world No. 1, you can score a century off 40 balls every time you bat, which is not the way the game works. People who criticise don’t really realise T20 cricket is not only about putting your foot down and slogging the ball. There are partnerships, there are ways of building the innings. You have to put your ego aside and play for the team,” Malan told Hindustan Times.

The criticism and expectation are part of the game: Dawid Malan

Dawid Malan opines that criticism and expectations are part of the game and cricketers endure highly contrasting days on the park. The Middlesex batsman conceded that batsmen should play how they want to and not according to people’s expectations.

“The criticism and expectation are part of the game. We are all humans. There will be days when you will play like you haven’t picked the bat ever, and then there will be days when you hit everything out of the park. You have to block out the noise. You should play like you want to and not how people expect you to play,” he added.

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