Matthew Short: No Hype, Just Efficiency

A Leader Without the Spotlight

Matthew Short, 29, is a player who doesn't seek to draw attention to himself. He's not a flashy stroke-maker, nor a power-hitter like Pollard, Klaasen, or Stoinis. He doesn't have tattoos, loud hairstyles, or cheeky one-liners in press conferences. A late bloomer, he wasn't a child prodigy, and there were no glowing headlines about him in his early years.

A Captain's Attributes

According to Short, his coach Shane Watson sees him as a calming influence on the group, someone who rides the waves. Short believes that keeping calm under pressure is the main attribute of a leader. He said, "Keeping your head up and keeping the bowlers up and about, I think I can help out in that way."

A Captain's Debut

Short was given the captain's armband after Corey Anderson's injury. He didn't disappoint, leading the Unicorns to a thrilling victory against the TSK. After being slaughtered by Faf du Plessis, the Unicorns were in danger of being batted out of the game. However, Short closed out the last five overs at a rate of less than 10-an-over, surrendering momentum to the Unicorns.

A Powerplay to Remember

Minutes later, Short and Allen came out all guns blazing, notching 83 in the powerplay and propelling the Unicorns ahead of the asking rate. They posted blistering half-centuries, and the Unicorns eventually got home without a quiver in the 17th over.

A Quiet Mark

Last season, Short quietly made his mark for the Unicorns, averaging 34 with 170 runs at a strike rate of 180 across five innings. Now, with the added weight of captaincy, he's delivered on day one. With Matthew Short, it's always about hyper-efficiency over hype.