In pictures: Ranking the best broadcasters at the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup

1 12

From Richie Benaud and Tony Greig to Mark Nicholas and Ravi Shastri, many of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup’s greatest moments have endured for so long partly because of how they were called. Be it capturing the conflicting emotions of a nail-biting finish, poring over the technique of a star player, second-guessing the strategies of champion teams or narrating and summarising the action day in and day out, broadcasters are the storytellers that help convert cricket from a sport into a spectacle. My Kolkata picks the top 10 storytellers from the ongoing World Cup in India, including Michael Atherton, Mayanti Langer and Ian Bishop, along with a handful of honourable mentions

2 12

Ian Smith: After bringing the house down with his feverish commentary during the frenetic finish to the 2019 final at Lord’s, Smith has only enhanced his reputation at this World Cup. Capable of accelerating in his delivery whenever the tension ratchets up, Smith has held on to the title of the most entertaining voice in the game today. While his imitation of Shastri during the India-Netherlands game was among the funniest things on air recently, what gives Smith numero uno status is how he described Glenn Maxwell’s innings of a lifetime against Afghanistan: “He’s got nothing but hands and will… Staggering. Absolutely mind-blowing. What a win! And he should not have to walk off the park, he should be carried off!”

3 12

Michael Atherton: It may be hard to remember any punchlines from Atherton during the World Cup but that is not why he takes second place in our rankings. While most commentators add value by overstatement, even exaggeration, Atherton is the master of understatement. His poise on air is a throwback to the likes of David Gower, who believed in letting the natural sounds of the game take centre stage as often as possible. But Atherton’s greatest strength is his cricketing brain, which can pick apart most players and teams with surgical precision. At this World Cup, nobody has been on the receiving end of Atherton’s slow burns more than his native England

4 12

Harsha Bhogle: “On average, he has bowled on middle stump,” quipped Bhogle after South Africa’s Marco Jansen bowled extravagant wides on both sides of the wicket against India at the Eden Gardens. When it comes to instant wit in cricket, Bhogle is still in a league of his own. His ability to shift between anchor, play-by-play commentator and expert across TV and digital platforms like Cricbuzz means his versatility is almost unmatched. As expected, Bhogle did justice to Virat Kohli’s record-setting 50th ODI century in Mumbai with characteristic elegance without puncturing the theatrical beauty of Kohli’s own celebrations

5 12

Wasim Akram: If there was an emerging show of the tournament award at the World Cup, it would undoubtedly go to The Pavilion, presented by Pakistani broadcaster A Sports. While the show does not officially air in India, clips on YouTube and social media are all the rage. And nobody has gone viral in those clips more often than Akram, be it by debunking conspiracy theories aimed at maligning India or ripping into Pakistani cricket for its complacency. Renowned for moving the ball both ways on the pitch, the Sultan of Swing has knocked over audiences by keeping it dead straight off it

6 12

Ricky Ponting: In terms of no-nonsense authority in the comm box, few can match the sheer bluntness of Punter. Even though he has a tendency to sound as if he is speaking at 1.5x, Ponting repeatedly anticipates what players are going to do, be it going for false shots, changing pace and length or moving around fielders as captain. The definitiveness that Ponting brings to the table when he says things like “no way South Africa are chasing 300 on this pitch” or “it’s something you’ll never ever see again in international cricket” may come off as premature, even arrogant, when voiced by others. But hearing them from the imperturbable Ponting feels right, not least because no man has won more World Cups than the Australian icon

7 12

Mayanti Langer: One of the standout moments of broadcasting at this World Cup came when Langer dealt with the Angelo Mathews timed-out incident with consummate ease, diffusing the controversy without neglecting it. As full-time anchors, most broadcasters become prisoners to cliches, hyperbole and deference. But Langer has made a career out of improvising and standing her ground, no matter the profile of the experts in front of her. With a greater workload than most broadcasters on this list, Langer’s sixth place is as much a recognition of her eloquence as it is of her dedication to meet high standards every day for close to two months

8 12

Sunil Gavaskar: In tune with the years, Gavaskar has toned down his acerbic takes. No wonder then that with the World Cup almost over, Sunny G is yet to cause a social media storm! His technical understanding aside, Gavaskar is still a joy to listen to, as his avuncularity makes him a seamless fit alongside less-experienced commentators. During the middle overs of 50-over games, when most matches settle into a pattern, it is Gavaskar’s anecdotes that often keep viewers from switching. Surprisingly, Gavaskar has not yet been on the mic during a decidedly epic phase at this World Cup, but that should take nothing away from the meticulousness that he continues to produce at 74

9 12

Ian Bishop: He may always be remembered for “Remember the Name”, but Bishop has become a victim of his own success at this tournament. This is to do with the West Indian consistently hyping up players in situations that do not match the scale of the 2016 T20 World Cup final, whose ending he immortalised with his words. Having said that, Bishop retains his status as one of the most astute readers of the game, particularly when explaining the thought process of fast bowlers. Disappointed at not being able to call the West Indies at this World Cup, Bishop has had one of his lesser tournaments in India this time around, which is still good enough for eighth place on our list

10 12

Anjum Chopra: The most familiar female voice in commentary for Indian viewers is finally getting her due with the ICC’s official allocations. With Isa Guha missing from the lineup, Chopra has taken up much of the mantle at this World Cup to represent female voices without pandering to the overt masculinity that can sometimes take over broadcasts. While her most viral moment will probably be her reaction to Smith’s mimicry of Shastri, it should not detract from the fact that Chopra has been spot on with her tactical observations about India and held her own in an environment where her gender remains significantly underrepresented

11 12

Shaun Pollock: In keeping with most South African commentators, Pollock likes to stay under the radar. There are no flashy metaphors or winding stories shared by the former Proteas’ captain. Instead, Pollock brings the same qualities to his commentary that he brought to his bowling — precision and persistence. Not many commentators can reiterate the mistakes of players without sounding like a broken record. Even fewer can resist the temptation to counter comments made by one-time rivals and simply focus on the next ball. With more experience under his helm, expect Pollock to shoot up such lists, for this is a man who is no stranger to life at the top

12 12

Honourable mentions: Among those who narrowly missed out on the top 10 are three names who many might be surprised to see in the lowest entry on this list. Leading the honourable mentions is Ravi Shastri, whose dip is largely down to him refusing to change with the times. It is not 2011 anymore and his “tracer bullets” have long stopped hitting the mark. In spite of that, the depth of Shastri’s voice still lends an inimitable gravitas to the action. Then there is Nasser Hussain, who, like some English players at this World Cup, has not done much wrong. Just that the others have been sharper and more engaging this time around. Finally, we have Dinesh Karthik, who has outlived the honeymoon period in commentary and needs to freshen up his prose to match the quality of his insights