In the build up to the World Cup, we picked our ODI World 11. This is the final side:
(Click on a player's name to read the piece written on them in compiling the side)
Chris Gayle
Sanath Jayasuriya
Ricky Ponting (captain)
Kumar Sangakkara (wicket-keeper)
Kevin Pietersen
Michael Hussey
Yuvrag Singh
Andrew Flintoff
Shaun Pollock
Shane Bond
Muttiah Muralitharan
All players unavailable for the tournament were not considered.
Update: Only four members of the side made our World Cup Dream Team.
Many of you asked why Adam Gilchrist was not selected: the reason is he has averaged just 25 in his last 20 ODIs. Sangakkara, meanwhile, was the leading ODI run-scorer in 2006.
The contrasting pair of Shaun Pollock and Shane Bond would open the bowling; Pollock would normally bowl with the new ball, while Bond would bowl around five overs, and would return for two bursts in the middle of the innings.
Andrew Flintoff would be used as first change, while spinners Murriah Muralitharan and Chis Gayle would bowl their overs between overs 20 and 50, with Sanath Jayasuriya bowling a few overs of spin if the pitch was particularly conducive to it. Flintoff, Gayle and Muralitharan would bowl the last 10 overs between them.
Feel free leave your comments on the final side. Are the selection panel in need of P45s?
4 comments:
There is close fight between Sangakkara and Dhoni in my opinion...and what about Sachin Tendulkar, you can't leave him out by any means...
Tendulkar was very close to selection ahead of Jayasuriya, yes, though, with five ODI hundreds last year, the Sri Lankan just edged him out.
I'd have had Andrew Symonds in over Yuvraj Singh. His ability to score quickly is a great complement to Hussey's accumulation.
Other than that, a selection I'd pretty much agree with. Let's see how it changes by the end of the tournament.
Pakistan are conspicuous by their absence... I don't think this is their World Cup.
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