Cricket is considered a highly contrasting game as in one format called Test Cricket, players have to play for 5 days and on the other hand, there is a fast pace format called T20I which gets finished in 3-4 hours.
Similarly, in fitness, many cricketers are recognized as extremely fit and on the other side, many cricketers remain extremely unfit. Although fitness is a significant aspect in modern-day cricket there are many players like Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad whose fitness is not up to the mark and on the contrary side there are players like Virat Kohli and David Warner who are considered incredibly fit.
Let’s have a look at the fittest and laziest players of the Top 8 teams in cricket ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021:
Sri Lanka
The fittest player in the team is none other than Opener Kusal Perera, he is the swift wicket-keeper and a fast runner between the wickets. Perera took many quick and sharp catches in the recent match against Bangladesh. He is also a great batsman and currently the 4th highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in T20Is, Kusal has scored 1293 runs at an average of 28.10 and a strike rate of 135.25.
The laziest player in the Sri Lankan team is none other than curly-haired legendary pacer Lasith Malinga. He played his last T20I match a year ago but it will be no surprise if he returns to the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Malinga was fast in pace but slow on the field he was never considered as a good fielder and was known for his sloppy work on the field. He retired from the test in 2011 due to knee injuries but he still is a good bowler and can provide Sri Lanka much needed bowling strength. Malinga is the Highest wicket-taker for Sri Lanka in T20Is; he has picked 107 wickets in his career at an amazing average of 20.79.
Afghanistan
Rashid Khan is the first name that comes to mind after hearing Afghanistan. He is the fittest one on the Afghani side. Rashid is considered a gun fielder and sensational bowler and with the bat in hand, he plays some serious explosive knocks which sometimes is the difference between winning and losing.
The 22-year-old has taken the cricketing world by storm since making his debut at a very young age. He plays non-stop cricket all over the world and almost every time completes his 4 overs quota in T20 cricket. Rashid has picked 95 wickets in T20I at a strike rate of 12.10 in just 51 matches.
The laziest cricketer on the team is Hazratullah Zazai. He is a good batsman and most of the time can neutralize the opposition bowling unit but when it comes to fielding he is very slow. Zazai scored 570 runs in his T20I career at an average of 40.71 and a strike rate of 155.31. If he manages to improve his fitness, he can provide more value to his national side.
South Africa
South Africa is known for generating great fielders and there are many presents and former cricketers who were very quick on the field and were named among the top fielders in the World. Currently, Pacer Kagiso Rabada, Faf Du Plessis, and David Miller are the three of the most agile fielders on the team but Miller outshines his comrades and is the fittest one on the South African side.
David Miller is known for his insane catches on the field, he saves many runs for the team in the field. Miller is a great runner between the wicket and is a power hitter who can change the game in just one over. Proteas batting sensation has played 81 matches and scored 1525 runs at an average of 31.1 and a strike rate of 139.7.
The laziest South African cricketer has to be a Fast bowler; Lungi Ngidi. Although he is fierce with pace, can demolish the opposition batting line-up but on the field he is sluggish. Ngidi has played 16 T20Is and has scalped 28 wickets at an average of 17.04.
Australia
Australia is considered as one of the fittest sides; they have many great, agile, and energetic players in the team. But no one is fitter than the number 1 ranked Test speedster Pat Cummins, he can bowl the whole day without tiring and can pick sensational catches while fielding.
Legendary Proteas pacer Dale Steyn praised Cummins for managing his workload properly and called him a fit and strong bowler.
“It takes supreme athletes to bowl fast for five days in five Test matches. That is a heavy workload. I think Cummins is amazing. He is so fit and so strong. He is ridiculous. And, he is one of my favorite bowlers right now,” said Steyn to The Sydney Morning Herald.
Pacer Mitchell Starc is the laziest one on the Australian side currently. Although he is a nightmare for the batsmen with the ball on the fielding department he is not very good.
However, Starc is a very important bowler for the side he has picked 47 wickets in 35 matches at an economy of 6.95 and an average of 19.4.
Pakistan
Sarfaraz Ahmed became a meme material after he was caught yawning on the field in a very intense cricket match. He is not only the slowest and laziest on the Pakistan side he is one of the laziest ones in world cricket as well.
Sarfaraz is not having a great time with bat as he got out on a single-digit score 4 times in his last 10 ODI innings and has been unsuccessful in scoring a fifty in his last 12 T20I innings.
22-year-old young Shadab Khan is the fittest player in the Pakistan team, his catching and run-saving ability is incredibly good. He has played 46 T20Is for the side and has picked 53 wickets at an average of 22.6, an economy of 7.28, and a strike rate of 18.60.
New Zealand
The Blackcaps also have some stunners in their team but the best one out of them has to be a left-arm pacer, Trent Boult. He pulls some magical and unbelievable catches on the boundary line. Boult amazes everyone with his sensational bowling and exceptional fielding skills. In the recent series against Bangladesh Boult threw himself to his left at third man to take a brilliant catch.
The Laziest Kiwi has to be Colin De Grandhomme he is sluggish and bulky, he runs very slow between the wickets. Grandhomme has appeared in 36 T20Is for the Black Caps and has scored 485 runs at an average of 17.96. He has scalped 11 wickets as well.
India
India is another team, filled with extremely fit players and good fielders. Leader Virat Kohli is the fitness icon for other players but even he is not the fittest one on the team. This spot is occupied by Sir Ravindra Jadeja, the perfect round cricketer.
Jadeja is one of the best in the world when it comes to Fielding. He has a habit of pulling insane catches, saving runs, and quick throws using his strong arms. The left-arm All-rounder has picked 39 wickets in 50 T20I matches and scored 217 runs.
Leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is the laziest player in the current Indian side. He became meme material for fans when he was seen lying down outside the fence during the time of the 2019 World Cup match against Sri Lanka. Yuzi Chahal has scalped 62 wickets in 48 T20I at an average of 25.4 and an economy of 8.4.
England
Ben Stokes is a machine. His fitness level is exceptional. The Kiwi-English all-rounder plays all the 3 formats for England and does a great job in Batting, Bowling, and fielding. Stokes is undoubtedly one of the most hard-working cricketers on the planet. He plays cricket non-stop so far Stokes has represented England in 71 Tests, 98 ODIs, and 34 T20Is at the international level.
The catch taken by the 30-year-old during a 2019 World Cup match against South Africa was arguably the greatest in World Cup cricket history. Stokes took a one-handed catch while jumping in the air near the boundary to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo.
Adil Rashid qualifies for being a lazy cricketer on the England side. The Leg spinner can give a tough time to the batters when he is bowling but when it comes to Fielding he doesn’t have very good skills and he is a slow mover on the field. The 33 -year -old has represented England in 57 T20Is and picked 55 wickets at an average of 26.62 and an economy of 7.55.