#7 Lance Klusener
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The ODI game has seen many brilliant all-rounder’s; Klusener, Pollock, Kallis, Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Shahid Afridi and Andrew Flintoff. Sir Gary Sobers played just one ODI game, otherwise he would have been a starter in any team.
Kallis is an out-and-out top order batsman who could bat only one way, he will be wasted at #7, Botham was a better test all-rounder than an ODI player. Imran Khan was an inspirational captain, bowler, batsman who was at his best in the top order. However, like Kallis, his strike rate of 72 is not something suited to bat at the lower order.
Statistical comparison: Lance Klusener and Kapil Dev.
| Player | Lance Klusener | Kapil Dev |
| Matches: | 171 | 225 |
| Batting | ||
| Innings: | 137 | 198 |
| Not Outs: | 50 | 39 |
| Aggregate: | 3576 | 3783 |
| Average: | 41.1 | 23.79 |
| Scoring Rate: | 89.92 | 95.07 |
| Highest Score: | 103* | 175* |
| 50s: | 19 | 14 |
| 100s: | 2 | 1 |
| Ducks: | 13 | 13 |
| 4s: | 293 | 294 |
| 6s: | 76 | 66 |
| Opened Batting: | 10 | 3 |
| Bowling | ||
| Overs: | 1222.4 | 1867 |
Balls: | 7336 | 11202 |
| Maidens: | 46 | 235 |
| Runs: | 5751 | 6945 |
| Wickets: | 192 | 253 |
| Average: | 29.95 | 27.45 |
| Economy Rate: | 4.7 | 3.72 |
| Strike Rate: | 38.21 | 44.28 |
| 4 Wickets in a Match: | 7 | 4 |
| Best: | 6/49 | 5/43 |
Both Klusener and Kapil scored almost the same amount of runs. Kapil’s strike rate of 95 is something that has to be lauded; Klusener is not very far behind scoring at almost 90. “Zulu” has a better average of 41 when compared to Kapil’s 24. Klusener has scored same number of boundaries as that of Kapil in 60 fewer innings. Batting wise Zulu is a better prospect compared to Kapil.
Comparing the bowling records of both, one thing is clear, Kapil at 3.72 was more economical than Lance’s 4.70, both have similar bowling averages, but Klusener was more of an attacking bowler who took a wicket every 38 balls compared to Kapil’s 44. Kapil edges out Klusener in bowling mainly due to his economy.
Overall, it is very hard to choose between Kapil and Zulu, but Zulu being a batter batsman and a proven finisher makes the cut as an all-rounder in the team.
| Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Av | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | St |
| 171 | 137 | 50 | 3576 | 103* | 41.10 | 3977 | 89.91 | 2 | 19 | 293 | 76 | 35 | 0 |
Lance Klusener was at his devastating best in the 99 cricket world cup winning the Player of the series award. If not for Allan Donald’s foolishness in the semi-finals, who knows, he might have finished with a World Cup Winners’ medal and the team wouldn’t be labeled as “Chokers”.
Contenders: Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Andrew Flintoff, Shaun Pollock and Shahid Afridi.
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