The T20 World Cup has come and gone, and India have retained their title. Sunday’s final was a one-sided affair as the hosts crushed New Zealand by 96 runs in Ahmedabad.
While the final was not the spectacle everyone was hoping for, the tournament was nevertheless packed with plenty of thrilling games and outstanding performances.
Now that it is all done, let’s take a moment to pick our team of the tournament.
1. Sanju Samson – (wicketkeeper, India)
He was named player of the tournament, but curiously Samson was something of a non-entity until the business end of proceedings.
Having said that, once he got going, Samson was simply unstoppable and there is lots to be said about scoring your runs when it matters as opposed to in early pool play.
Samson ended the tournament as the third highest scorer with 321 runs at an average of 80.25. His strike rate of 199.37 was remarkable.
2. Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan)
The leading scorer of the tournament, Farhan scored two centuries and ended the competition with 383 runs at an average of 76.60.
His total runs is more than 50 ahead of the player in second place (Tim Seifert), who played two more games.
It wasn’t an easy tournament for Pakistan who battled with political issues and a batting line-up that struggled, but through it all, Farhan kept going like a metronome at the top of the Pakistan order.
3. Aiden Markram (captain, South Africa)
He batted at the top of the order for South Africa, but we have placed him at three in this team to accommodate Samson and Farhan as openers.
Markram marshalled his South African team superbly executing his strategies and bowling changes to perfection – until it went wrong in the semi-final.
But aside from his leadership, Markram scored a bucketload of run and he scored quickly. This was a tournament where he really imposed himself. It’s no coincidence that under his leadership South Arica were the only team in the competition to defeat India.
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4. Ishan Kishan (India)
Kishan started as the opener of choice for India but was eventually replaced at the top of the order by Samson. He was replaced, not due to his lack of performance but rather because of the focus, wrath and frenzy and Samson rained down on his opponents.
Kishan was nevertheless outstanding finishing as the tournaments fourth highest scorer with 317 runs at an average of 35.22 and a strike-rate of 193.29. He was also excellent in the field.
5. Hardik Pandya (India)
A genuine allrounder and a man for the big occasion, Pandya just kept doing the business whenever he was called on. A powerful striker of the ball, on several occasions he added late ballast to India totals with his whirlwind hitting.
He also took key wickets and bowled crucial overs – both at the top and tail of innings.
6. Will Jacks (England)
There were plenty of players expected to shoot the lights out for England – Will Jacks wasn’t one of them.
But in a tournament where England struggled for fluency more than results, the one player who kept on performing with bat, ball and in the field was Will Jacks. His impact and his consistency were both outstanding.
He averaged 56.50 with the bat at a strike-rate of 176.56. Meanwhile with the ball he bagged nine wickets with an average of 21.66 and a strike rate of 13.33.
7. Adil Rashid (England)
The veteran England spinner makes our team ahead of Varun Chakravarthy, but it is a close call. Rashid took one wicket less than the Indian mystery spinner, but he ended the tournament with a better average and economy rate.
By the end of the tournament it felt like many of the more established teams had managed to demystify Chakravarthy.
Rashid however just kept on doing his thing, not only taking wickets, but also keeping the run rate down and therefore helping to create pressure and wickets for the rest of the team.
8. Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Former Protea skipper Faf du Plessis said that having a player like Bumrah in the team was like having a genie in the side. He is more than a little bit magic, and he always brings it in the big games.
Bumrah ended the tournament as the leading wicket taker with 14 scalps at an average of 12.42, an economy rate of 6.21 and a strike rate of a wicket two overs.
Bumrah is a generational talent, and as much as the India batting line-up get most of the attention, it is Bumrah’s role defending scores that truly sets India apart from their opponents.
9. Lungi Ngidi (South Africa)
South Africa is a country obsessed with fast bowlers, which makes Ngidi’s prowess with the ball even more special given he makes the side due to his slower balls.
Make no mistake, Ngidi can send the white ball down at pace, but it is his variations that can make him unplayable. Ngidi had an outstanding tournament, claiming 12 wickets at 15.58 with a strike rate of 13.00.
In a squad that includes Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Marco Jansen as strike options, Ngidi has firmly established himself as South Africa’s premier white-ball bowler.
10. Shadley van Schalkwyk (USA)
The veteran American quick makes this team despite playing just four games in the competition. America was knocked out after the pool stages but despite that the South African-born paceman almost finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker.
It was only in the final that he was nudged out of top spot. Van Schalkwyk was prolific, taking 13 wickets – his associated statistics are almost off the charts. He averaged 7.76 per scalp, had an economy rate of 6.80 and a preposterously low strike rate of 6.84.
11. Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe were superb and fully deserved their spot in the Super Sixes at the expense of an undercooked Australia. The Chevrons played as a team, and they played for each other and their country.
They were a joy to watch. One of the stars was Muzarabani who was good enough to walk into almost any team at the tournament. Tall and intelligent, Muzarabani played with confidence and aggression, always coming hard at his opponent.
He ended the competition tied in third place as leading wicket taker with 13 scalps. He finished with a best return of 4/17, an average of 14.46 and a strike rate of 11.00.
12th man: Brian Bennett (Zimbabwe)
The Zimbabwean youngster was a star, and he edges players like Marco Jansen and Jacob Bethell out of this team to claim the 12th man spot.
It is hard to argue with the selection given that he ended the competition with a batting average of 146 and the sixth most runs in the tournament. He was also outstanding in the field, pulling off one of the catches of the tournament in pool play.
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