Measuring performance of batting partners in limited overs cricket

Abstract

Batting and bowling are prime skills in the game of cricket. Unlike bowling, batting takes place between a pair of two batsmen, often referred to as a partnership. If a batsman is dismissed, the pair is broken and a new partnership is formed with the next batsman. However, the different existing measures of batting performance are based on individual performances and not on the basis of partnerships. This research attempts to develop a measure to quantify the batting performance of partnerships. This unique measure takes into account not only the runs scored by the partnership, but also the match situation in which the runs are scored by the batting partners. To quantify the model, the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup played in India is considered. If the partnership scores are computed for a series of matches of a given team, then the coach can identify the partnerships that bat well under pressure. It will be helpful in determining the batting order of the team so that reasonably well played partnerships under pressure shall occur more frequently in the upcoming matches. This measure can also determine the best opening batting partners for a given team in limited overs cricket.

Keywords: Batting; Cricket analytics; Limited overs; Performance measurement.