“Style. Elegance. What a player.” The commentator described South African legend Jacques Kallis‘ batting in the recently concluded US Masters T10 2023.
The US Masters T10 2023 was the inaugural edition of the competition played from August 18 to 27 at Central Broward Park in Lauderhill, Florida, where many legendary cricketers from across the world took part.
One of them was 47-year-old former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who, despite his age, didn’t lose his class and elegance at all, and finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament, behind the younger, and only recently retired former Australia captain Aaron Finch.
Both Finch and Kallis played and opened for the same team: California Knights, the team that reached until Qualifier 2 and lost it just one step away from the final.
Aaron Finch topped the runs charts by scoring 236 runs in 8 innings, smashing runs at a strike rate of 203 and at an average of 39, while Jacques Kallis finished only 15 runs behind Finch, scoring 221 runs in 7 innings at an average of 55 and strike rate of 162.
Kallis notched up two half-centuries in the tournament. From the bat of Jacques Kallis were reeled off 18 fours and 13 sixes – not bad for a 47-year-old who last played in international cricket 9 years ago.
You can watch some of those fours and sixes here.
Watch: Jacques Kallis turns back the clock on US T10 tournament
The strokeplay of Jacques Kallis even at the age of 48 is simply incredible.
– He's the evergreen – the GOAT!pic.twitter.com/bb5RRVS4mJ
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 29, 2023
Some of the other legends who participated in this tournament were Mohammad Hafeez, T Dilshan, Kamran Akmal, Yusuf Pathan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Robin Uthappa, Irfan Pathan, Abdul Razzaq, Sohail Tanvir, S Sreesanth, Perera, and Liam Plunkett.
It was the New York Warriors who topped the points table in the league phase with 10 points in 7 matches. However, the New York Warriors, led by Misbah, lost what was a thrilling final to the Texas Chargers, captained by Ben Dunk, as the final went to Super Over. Both teams were tied at 92 runs in 10 overs in the regular game. In the Super 15, Texas scored 15 runs while New York fell two runs short.
