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The question of who stands out as the greatest cricketer of the 21st century has long been a topic of debate among players and fans alike. With cricket evolving rapidly over the last two decades, the game has witnessed extraordinary players whose contributions have left an indelible mark. While the choices often vary based on personal preferences and eras, the conversation remains a fascinating one that sparks endless discussions.
Hayley Matthews picks the greatest Man’s cricketer
In a recent interaction, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews shared her picks for the greatest male and female cricketers of the 21st century. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Matthews praised several icons of the men’s game. She mentioned Sachin Tendulkar as one of the greatest cricketers and someone she admired while growing up, considering him the best during his era. Additionally, she revealed that Ricky Ponting was her favorite player, highlighting her fondness for his style and contributions to the game.
“25 years is a really wide area. Obviously, I know a lot of them, like (Sachin) Tendulkar, the greats of the game. Certainly, when I was growing up, he was one person that was like the best. Ricky Ponting was just my favourite player,” Matthews said.
However, when asked to narrow down her pick, she went with global superstar Virat Kohli. Matthews highlighted AB de Villiers and Kohli as two standout players of modern cricket, praising De Villiers for his all-around brilliance as a batter and captain. However, she ultimately picked Kohli as her favorite, acknowledging his status as an icon of the men’s game and citing his consistency and influence as reasons for her admiration over the past few years.
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“I feel like in this day and age, two people that really stand out to me now are AB de Villiers and just how good he was all around the ground as a batter and as a captain as well and then obviously Virat (Kohli). It’s so hard to look past him as an icon within the men’s game. So I am probably going to say Virat, just because he’s been probably my favourite player for the last few years, especially,” Matthews added.
Matthews pick on the greatest Woman’s cricketer
Shifting her focus to the women’s game, Matthews was equally decisive in naming her pick for the best female cricketer of the last 25 years. She highlighted Australian legend Ellyse Perry’s incredible achievements and consistency over the years.
“In the women’s game, I think it’s kind of hard to look past Ellyse Perry and just everything she’s done over all the years, probably playing from back in like 2010 and stuff as well. I’d probably say she’s the best female cricketer of the last 25 years,” Matthews added.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
