New Delhi: Indian batting sensation Virat Kohli is the lone Indian to have made the cut for the ICC World Twenty20 Men’s XI of the tournament that concluded yesterday. Compatriot Suresh Raina has been named as the 12th man.
Kohli who was named the ICC ODI player of the year last month scored 185 runs in five matches and also featured in the ICC ODI Team of the year.
Poonam Raut was the only Indian to have been chosen in the Women’s team.
Finalists Sri Lanka and West Indies contribute a total of five players to the ICC World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012 men’s team of the tournament, which was announced today in Colombo, with Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardena named as captain.
Meanwhile, finalists Australia and England provide nine players to the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Sri Lanka 2012 team of the tournament, with again the losing captain in the final, Charlotte Edwards, selected to lead the team. Edwards was also named yesterday as the women’s player of the tournament.
Chosen by a select group of experts the team was aimed at being suited for Sri Lankan conditions on the basis of performances in the tournament only. Statistics were used but were not the sole basis for selections said ICC in a release.
In all, there are three players from beaten finalist Sri Lanka and two from champion West Indies while Australia, India, England, New Zealand and Pakistan are also represented in the 12-man squad. The panel faced a difficult choice in a number of key positions and the relative merits of several players, who ultimately did not make the final 12, were debated at length. Players who were considered included AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn of South Africa, David Warner of Australia, Tillakaratne Dilshan of Sri Lanka, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Smith and Sunil Narine of the West Indies.
In the women’s side, five players from champion Australia are represented while beaten finalist England has four representatives in the side including Edwards. The team also features players from India, West Indies and New Zealand.
The panel also struggled with deciding the final 12 for the women’s team and players who were considered included Danielle Wyatt and Lydia Greenway of England, Sophie Devine of New Zealand, Deandra Dottin of West Indies, Erin Osborne of Australia and South Africa’s Dane van Niekerk.
Full men’s team (in batting order):
Chris Gayle (West Indies)
Shane Watson (Australia)
Virat Kohli (India)
Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka – captain)
Luke Wright (England)
Brendon McCullum (New Zealand – wicketkeeper)
Marlon Samuels (West Indies)
Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan)
Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka)
12th Man: Suresh Raina (India)
Full women’s team (in batting order):
Charlotte Edwards (England – captain)
Meg Lanning (Australia)
Poonam Raut (India)
Laura Marsh (England)
Sarah Taylor (England – wicketkeeper)
Lisa Sthalekar (Australia)
Stafanie Taylor (West Indies)
Julie Hunter (Australia)
Ellyse Perry (Australia)
Katherine Brunt (England)
Erin Bermingham (New Zealand)
12th Player: Jess Cameron (Australia)
By Indian Sports News Network
