MAGNANIMOUS FINCHAND HARD- HITTING BANTON

Royal Challengers Bangalore opener Aaron Finch ( pictured right) is among the most wanted T20 league players. It hasn’t been an easy ride for him to earn that honour. He had to wait patiently to get his opportunities during the early stages of his career. He made his first- class debut for Victoria at the age of 21 against India in 2007 in a match in which he did not get to bat as the match got washed out after India batted for 48 overs. He had to wait for another two years before getting to play his first Sheffield Shield match. Though he made his T20 International debut in 2011, he had to wait till 2013 to make his One Day International debut. Then he made his Test debut in Dubai after another five years wait, against Pakistan, in 2018. Finch is known as someone ready to help others at all times. He has often given away his training kit, protective equipment, and bat to youngsters, and once when he did not have a spare bat to give, he gave Glenn Maxwell’s, which was his Test debut bat. During the lockdown in Australia, he helped a child complete a project assigned by his school by sending him a video message through the boy’s school teacher. He asked the student to prepare a “cricket magazine” with a detailed explanation of the rules of the game, including the fielding positions, and how to play the game.

WATCH OUT FOR SIX- HITTING BANTON

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Tom Banton hasn’t been among the runs so far in this IPL, but this 21- year- old England cricketer is familiar with UAE wickets and could play a huge knock soon. He has been impressive in the Pakistan Super League here as well as in the Abu Dhabi T10 League.

Last year, in the Abu Dhabi T10 League, he cracked an 80 off just 28 balls against Karnataka Tuskers.

In that knock, he reached his half- century in just 17 balls. At the start of this year, while playing for Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League, he hit five sixes off Sydney Thunders’ off- spinner Arjun Nair in one over. He reached his 50 in 16 balls and scored 56 with seven sixes.

— K. R. Nayar