Name: Liam Livingstone
Liam Stephen Livingstone is an English cricketer representing Lancashire and England. A right-handed batsman and spin bowler, Livingstone possesses the ability to bowl both right-arm leg and off-spin. In his cricket career across various formats, Liam Livingstone has played one Test match, scoring 16 runs at a strike rate of 88.89. In ODIs, he has scored 558 runs in 25 matches at an average of 29.37 and a strike rate of 102.95. In T20Is, he has accumulated 617 runs in 38 matches at a strike rate of 149.76, including one century. In the IPL, he has scored 939 runs in 38 matches at a strike rate of 163.02. On the bowling front, in ODIs, he has taken 17 wickets in 25 matches at an economy rate of 5.54, while in T20Is, he has claimed 18 wickets in 38 matches with an economy rate of 8.71. In the IPL, he has secured 11 wickets in 38 matches with an economy rate of 9.12.
On 19 April 2015, Liam Livingstone gained significant media attention after scoring 350 runs off 138 balls for his club side Nantwich, reported to be one of the highest individual scores in one-day cricket history.
In 2015-16, Livingstone had some success playing for Perth in Australian club cricket, but it was Lancashire's coach, Ashley Giles, who provided the 22-year-old with opportunities in all formats. His efforts paid off when Livingstone topped Lancashire's Championship batting averages. He built on this success with his first-ever first-class hundred against Somerset in Taunton. Additionally, his quick 21-ball fifty against Yorkshire matched Lancashire's quickest in Twenty20 at the time. Livingstone's performances caught the attention of the England Lions, especially after he compiled two well-crafted centuries in Sri Lanka. This showcased his adaptability as a batsman and highlighted his utility as both a leg spinner and offspinner when the situation demanded.
Livingstone debuted in first-class cricket for Lancashire in the opening game of the 2016 season scoring 70 against Nottinghamshire. In that match, Lancashire won by 8 wickets at Manchester. Following his leadership as stand-in captain leading Lancashire to their first victory of the 2017 season, he was awarded his county cap on 24 April 2017. Subsequently, he was appointed club captain for the 2018 season, replacing Steven Croft.
Livingstone debuted for England against South Africa in 2017. His contributions in that T20I series were 16 & 0 respectively. He returned to the national setup in 2021 due to Joe Denly's injury, debuting in an ODI series against India, averaging 63 across that series.
In a series against Pakistan later that year, Livingstone scored the fastest T20I fifty and hundred for England, achieving the feat off 17 and 42 balls respectively. He also hit a 122m six off Haris Rauf in that series.
In June 2017, Livingstone was included in England's Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for the series against South Africa, marking his T20I debut against South Africa on 23 June 2017. He received his first call-up to the England Test Squad in January 2018 for their series against New Zealand following impressive performances for the England Lions.
In 2018, Liam Livingstone faced challenges in refining his game. Suffering a broken thumb during the Roses match in July, he resorted to an unusual measure of protection by reappearing to bat with a short leg pad. Despite his efforts, he struggled to make an impact, failing to reach fifty in 10 Championship matches as Lancashire faced relegation under his captaincy. However, he managed to recover in time for Finals Day in the T20 Blast, where his century in 49 balls against Derbyshire brought him immense satisfaction in an otherwise forgettable summer. At the end of the season, Livingstone stepped down as captain. Over the next three years, he traveled around the world to play in different T20 leagues during English winters. This helped him experience different conditions and roles. Because of his good performance, he got to play his first ODI match in early 2021. Exactly four years after his first match against Sri Lanka, he was called back to play in the T20I team.
Livingstone was bought by the Rajasthan Royals in the player auction for the 2019 Indian Premier League and was named in various squads for different T20 tournaments globally. He also made significant contributions in international cricket, including a memorable century against Pakistan in July 2021, becoming the third Englishman to score a T20I hundred.
In September 2021, Livingstone was named in England's squad for the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, and in June 2022, he was named in the England squad for the 2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where England emerged victorious.
Livingstone secured a place in the ODI team after Eoin Morgan's retirement. He scored a 17-ball fifty in an ODI against Netherlands, setting a record as the fastest by an English batter, as England scored 498 runs in their innings. He was part of the England side that won the T20I World Cup in 2022.
He joined Punjab Kings in 2021 for a whopping sum of Rs. 11.50 crore and has been retained since, In the current IPL 2024 season Liam Livingstone sustained a hamstring injury during PBKS' recent match against the Lucknow Super Giants. As a result, he was unable to field for the remainder of the game. His stats for this season are 111 runs in 6 matches for Punjab Kings.
