Daryl Mitchell Set to Lead NZ in Batting

When it comes to the greatest cricket players active in 2022, famous batsmen like Marnus Labushagne and Babar Azam tend to take the lion's share of attention. And when it comes to famous Kiwis cricketers, most attention falls on Kane Williamson. The batsman has an international following that Mitchell, an all-rounder, hasn't caught up with.

For his own part, Williamson is a fierce competitor and batsman, who was ranked behind other greats like Labushagne and Joe Root when the year began. However, cricket analysts are zeroing in on a different player now-Daryl Mitchell.

While Labushagne, Azam, and Williamson have grabbed headlines in the last two years, a three-year breakdown of batting records leaves Mitchell with an overall rating of 789-far above Labushagne's 746, Azam's 684, and Root's 654. As the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup approaches, all eyes are on Mitchell to lead New Zealand's national team in batting.

New Zealand Goes All-In for Local Entertainment

Along with rugby, cricket is considered a national pastime in New Zealand. Though John Mitchell, Daryl's father, is remembered as one of the country's greatest rugby union coaches, sports fans are now watching the batsman as he prepares to lead the Black Caps into the World Cup.

For locals, the cricket competition is a big deal. Aside from sports entertainment, locals also enjoy games like pokies. In terms of pokies, locals can choose from online pokies NZ or head to one of the country's six brick-and-mortar locations-the same number of cricket teams in the country's domestic league.

Unsurprisingly, sports pokies that cover cricket are one of the most popular themes-along with rugby, of course. But right now, sports fans are focused on the upcoming 2022 ICC Cricket World Cup. More specifically, they're looking at Mitchell to contribute like he did in 2021's competition.

Can Mitchell Repeat as Player of the Match?

Stellar batting record aside, there's another reason locals will be leaning on Mitchell to lead the Black Caps. Last year, the ICC organized a T20 World Cup after a failed 2020 tournament. New Zealand advanced to the semi-finals where they battled against England. During the match, Mitchell opened the batting scored 72 not-out, which steered the Black Caps toward a five-wicket win.

He was then named Player of the Match. The performance was enough that Mitchell garnered attention from the Indian Premier League. Though he had signed with New Zealand Cricket in 2021, Mitchell packed his bags to head to Rajasthan where he joined the Royals for the 2022 IPL season.

A Player in His Prime

At age 31, Mitchell represents the ultimate cricket player in his prime. He knows his specialties, and under proper management can be utilized as a batting weapon against opponents. During the 2021 ICC World Cup, the Black Caps lost to arch-rivals Australia in the finals. Though head coach of the Black Caps, Gary Stead, has named Kane Williamson as his captain, Mitchell will be the batsman to watch out for.

Still, he won't be the only star on the roster, and Mitchell's primary role will be to steady the ship as an allrounder with both the bat and the ball-not strictly as a batsman. Along with Mitchell, seasoned vets like Glenn Philips, Mitchell Santner, and Michael Bracewell will provide critical balance to the Black Caps.

In terms of batting, Mitchell will be helped along by Williamson, Mark Chapman, and Martin Huptill. Devon Conway and Glenn Philips will serve as both batsmen and wicketkeepers. As the international tournament approaches, analysts are eyeing Australia to repeat as champions, with India also in contention for another ICC World Cup title.