Top 5 cricketers of the week (July 30 to August 5)

A total of four ODIs, three T20Is and one Test match were played in the week. Two of those ODIs were between Sri Lanka and South Africa and the other two between the Netherlands and Nepal.

A three-match T20I series was played between the Windies and Bangladesh. Also, the first Test match between England and India was played in this week.

This article covers the top five performers from these series.

5. MICHAEL RIPPON

He played a crucial role in the 1st ODI against Nepal

It was a historic moment between the Netherlands and Nepal, as it was the first ODI series for Nepal after they earned ODI status.

In the first ODI, when Rippon came to bat, Netherlands were 4/72 after 15.1 overs. He made a crucial 68-run partnership with De Leede and scored 51 runs, which kept Netherlands in the game and helped them post 189 runs on the board.

In reply, Nepal only managed to score 134 runs, pegged back as they were by the three wickets each from Rippon, Klaassen and Seelaar. The all-round performance by Rippon earned him the Man of the Match award.

He was also at the fifth position in the run-getter list and second highest wicket-taker along with Nepal captain Paras Khadka in two-match ODI series. The series was leveled 1-1.

4. PARAS KHADKA

He played an important role in the ODI series against Nepal

After fulfilling the dream of earning the ODI status for the country, it was important for the Nepal team to highlight their performance as an international ODI side against the Netherlands. In the first ODI, it was because of Khadka's four-wicket haul that Netherlands were bowled out for 189. Unfortunately for them though, they lost the match.

In the second ODI, after the top order failed to perform, it was Khadka's 51 runs in the middle and Kami's match-changing 46-ball 61 that helped Nepal post 216 on the board. In reply, Netherlands managed to post 215 runs, courtesy of Khadka's last over where he broke the 30-run 10th wicket partnership and defended five off the last over, resulting in Nepal winning the match by one run.

Khadka was the third highest run-getter of the series with 63 runs at an average of 32, and the second highest wicket-taker with five wickets.

3. MUSTAFIZUR RAHMAN

The highest wicket-taker in the T20I series against Windies

This was his comeback series after the toe injury that he sustained during the IPL. Due to that injury he had to miss the T20I series against Afghanistan and the Test series against Windies.

In this series, he picked up important wickets at crucial stages of the match, which helped Bangladesh win the series 2-1 against the Windies. He was the leading wicket-taker of the series, picking up eight wickets.

2. SAM CURRAN

He was awarded the Man of the Match award in the 1st Test against India

The seaming conditions at Edgbaston and unsatisfactory performance by Moeen Ali in the ODIs made the selection of Curran in the playing XI a reality. And Curran played his role with both bat and ball.

He made some important contributions with the bat in both the innings, especially in the second - where he made a match-changing 65-ball 63 with the other lower order batsmen. While bowling he took four wickets in the first innings, scalping Vijay and Rahul in the same over.

Currently, Curran is the fourth highest run-getter of the series with 87 runs at an average of 44, and the fourth highest wicket-taker of the series with five wickets in two innings. At present, the five-match Test series is 1-0 in favor of England.

1. VIRAT KOHLI

He led the team from the front by scoring 200 runs in the 1st Test against England

After having a good T20I and ODI series against England, Kohli continued to display his excellent batting form in the Test match as well.

In the first innings, it was because of his 149 runs India managed to reach near England’s total. In the second innings, India needed 194 runs to win, but were able to post only 162, which included Kohli’s 51 runs - which resulted in India losing the match by 31 runs.

At present, Kohli is leading the run-getters' list with 200 runs at an average of 100.