Colombo - Finalists the West Indies and Sri Lanka contribute a total of five players to the ICC World Twenty20 team of the tournament, which was announced on Monday in Colombo, with Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardena named as captain.
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.
In all, there are three players from beaten finalists Sri Lanka and two from champions 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.
ICC World Twenty20 Team of the Tournament (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)
The selection panel that chose the ICC World Twenty20 men’s team of the tournament consisted of:
Geoff Allardice (ICC General Manager – Cricket)
Rex Clementine (Cricket journalist from Sri Lanka)
Tony Hill (Member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires)
Ranjan Madugalle (ICC Chief Match Referee and former Sri Lanka captain)
Sanjay Manjrekar (Former India cricketer and ESS commentator)
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.
In all, there are three players from beaten finalists Sri Lanka and two from champions 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.
ICC World Twenty20 Team of the Tournament (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)
The selection panel that chose the ICC World Twenty20 men’s team of the tournament consisted of:
Geoff Allardice (ICC General Manager – Cricket)
Rex Clementine (Cricket journalist from Sri Lanka)
Tony Hill (Member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires)
Ranjan Madugalle (ICC Chief Match Referee and former Sri Lanka captain)
Sanjay Manjrekar (Former India cricketer and ESS commentator)