Babar Azam named captain of the tournament's T20 World Cup team
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has named Babar Azam as the skipper of the T20 World Cup's Team of the Tournament.
Players from six teams were elected to the official ICC T20 World Cup Men’s Valuable Team of the Tournament Stars from champions Australia, runner-up world champions New Zealand, semi-finalists England and Pakistan as well as Sri Lanka and South Africa are in the star line-up.
Inaugural hit David Warner, leg spinner Adam Zampa and seamstress Josh Hazlewood all make the cut for Australia after leading their team to their first ever ICC T20 Men's World Cup title.
There are also spots on the line-up for English ace Jos Buttler as wicketkeeper, Pakistani Babar Azam as captain, New Zealand left-handed shooter Trent Boult and Sri Lankan star Wanindu Hasaranga - the tournament's leading wicket taker - on the line-up.
The squad was selected by a selection committee made up of commentators, former international players and journalists Ian Bishop (Convenor), Natalie Germanos, Shane Watson, Lawrence Booth - from Wisden, Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday - and Shahid Hashmi from Agence France Presse and ARY- Channel.
Ian Bishop said, “As with any team selection, there will be mixed opinions and a solid discussion about the final make-up of the squad. The panel respects this and we encourage the heated debate that will follow. It was incredibly difficult to choose this team in such a highly competitive tournament. The selection was mainly based on the Super 12 up to the final. "
“Babar Azam's performance in the T20 World Cup was remarkable. The fact that it was the Pakistani skipper's very first T20 World Cup appearance makes his numbers even more astonishing, and he's by far the highest run scorer at a debut World Cup in the history of the competition, beating former Pakistani impact advisor Matthew Record Hayden. Babar also tied with another record held by Hayden and Virat Kohli of forty-five in a single world championship, which is the best ever, ”the ICC official website said.
However, Mohammad Rizwan, the third highest run-getter of the tournament with 289 runs, was not included in the 12-man squad.
West Indies great Ian Bishop who is on the ICC panel said they had the unenviable job of narrowing it down to just 11 players after so many appearances in 45 games. Regarding Rizwan's absence, Bishop said:
On the other hand, Shaheen Afridi was accepted as the 12th man. Here is the ICC team of the tournament:
- David Warner
- Jos Buttler
- Babar Azam
- Charith Asalanka
- Aiden Markram
- Moeen Ali
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Adam Zampa
- Josh Hazlewood
- Trent Boult
- Anrich Nortje
- Shaheen Afridi (12th man)