Player profile: Who is England batting sensation Tom Banton?
What's the story
21-year-old England batsman Tom Banton could be pivotal for Kolkata Knight Riders in the upcoming Indian Premier League 2020 season. Banton is an aggressive top order batsman and has all the shots up his sleeves. He impressed largely in the BBL 2019-20 season and is finding his feet in national colors. Here we present a profile of Banton.
Progress
Banton's swift progress after making T20 debut in 2017
Banton made his T20 cricket debut for Somerset in the NatWest T20 Blast in 2017. He also made his First-class debut for Somerset a year later. The right-handed batsman was signed by Brisbane Heat for the 2019-20 season of the BBL. In December 2019, he was drafted by Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Peshawar Zaimi. KKR bought him next for the IPL 2020 season.
England
Banton's progress in national colors
Banton was part of England's ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup side in 2018. His big moment arrived when he was named in England's T20I squad against New Zealand in November 2019. He made his T20I debut in that series and earned his maiden ODI cap against South Africa next. Banton, who featured against Ireland in the ODI series, is currently playing T20Is against Pakistan.
Banton heroics
Banton showed his mettle for England against Pakistan
On Friday, Banton scored a 42-ball 71 in the first T20I against Pakistan. The match had no result due to rain, however, Banton was a delight. He showed his big hitting skills by smashing four fours and five sixes at a strike-rate of 169.05. Earlier, the youngster had hit 58 against Ireland in the third ODI, while batting in the middle order.
BBL
Banton was superb in the BBL 2019-20 season
Banton grabbed attention in the 2019-20 edition of the BBL. He scored 223 runs in seven matches for the Brisbane Heat at a rate of 176.98. The youngster amassed three fifties, which included a 16-ball half-century against Sydney Thunder. His effort helped him smash the second-fastest fifty in BBL history. Notably, Banton hit five consecutive sixes off spinner Arjun Nair en-route his 16-ball 50.
IPL 2020
Banton could be a crucial figure for KKR
With Chris Lynn gone, KKR have the perfect replacement in England youngster Banton. The dashing player could help KKR in getting the desired starts upfront. He will have the composed Shubman Gill alongside him and the two young guns can deliver the goods. However, KKR will be rotating their foreign stars and whenever Banton gets called upon, he needs to be ready.
Data
A look at Banton's career stats
In six ODIs, Banton has amassed 134 runs at 26.80. The 58 against Ireland is his highest knock. In 4 T20Is, Banton has scored 127 runs with a best of 71 versus Pakistan. In 14 First-class games, he has scored 603 runs at 25.12.