New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell has been named the recipient of the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award after his gesture in the 2021 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup semi-final against England in Abu Dhabi. As a result, Mitchell is the fourth New Zealand player to win the award, following in the footsteps of Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson.
Mitchell won the award for refusing to take a single in the high-pressure T20 World Cup semi-final against England in Abu Dhabi on November 10, 2021.
“It is an honor to receive the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award,” Mitchell said in an official release. “To be a part of that T20 World Cup in the UAE was an amazing experience, and to receive an award like this is pretty cool.”
Daryl Mitchell is the winner of the 2021 ICC Spirit of Cricket Award.
This is why ?https://t.co/y2KuZxyBzV
— ICC (@ICC) February 2, 2022
“It’s something we’re proud of as New Zealanders, the way we play cricket, and yes, the Spirit of Cricket side. Personally, I felt I was standing in the way and we wanted to win on our own terms, and didn’t want to be controversial in such a big game,” he added.
In the first semi-final of the 2021 ICC 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, England and New Zealand were locked in a close battle to reach the top. Leading first, England had racked up a competitive 166/4 thanks to Moeen Ali’s half-century.
New Zealand was on course for the chase with a well-arranged Mitchell partnered with James Neesham, who was in blazing form. The incident happened on the first pitch of the 18th bowled by Adil Rashid, with a score of 133/4.
Neesham hit the ball into the ground and it would have been an easy single. But Mitchell, on the non-striker’s side, refused to take the run, admitting he’d hindered Rashid – in a high-pressure chase, with a place in the World Cup final on the line, Mitchell’s gesture exuded class.
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In the end, New Zealand won the match, chasing the total down with a surplus. Mitchell, who led off the at bat, turned out to be the match winner, taking a memorable 72* knockout in just 47 deliveries to hit the winning runs.
New Zealand would finish as the runner-up in the tournament, falling short on the last hurdle against Australia, who won the match by eight wickets.
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