Indian skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has been named the captain of ICC’s ODI Team of the Year, which is further dominated by sub-continent players including Virat Kohli and Shahid Afridi.
The is the fifth time Dhoni has made to the team after scoring 859 runs at a staggering average of 78.09 during the assessment period between August 4, 2011 to August 6, 2012. The other countrymen include opener Gautam Gambhir and the inform Virat Kohli, who registered eight tons during the same period including a career-best 183 against Pakistan.
The batting slots were completed by Englishman, Alastair Cook, Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, and Austtralia’s Michael Clarke. Shahid Afridi took the all-round spot, followed by bowlers in compatriot Saeed Ajmal, Lankan spearhead Lasith Malinga and Steven Finn from England.
The team has been announced just before the annual ICC award’s to be held in Colombo today. Earlier ICC named the Test Team of the Year, which already had the likes Cook, Ajmal, Sangakkara and Clarke.
A five-man panel led by Clive Lloyd picked both teams, which further included former players in Carl Hooper, Sri Lankan Marvan Attapatu, Aussie all-rounder Tom Moody and Clare Connor, the English Women’s team captain.
"This team, along with the Test Team of the Year was extremely difficult to decide upon. We feel the side has strength to bat well down the order, while also having a good variety for any type of conditions when it comes to its bowling attack," Lloyd said.
"It's pleasing to include for the first time the likes of Virat Kohli of India, Saeed Ajmal of Pakistan and Steven Finn of England - none of whom have appeared in an ICC ODI Team of the Year before," the chairman of the selection panel added.
Dave Richardson, ICC’s chief executive said, "I think we can safely say that this is one of the strongest ODI Team of the Year selections ever in the awards history."
ODI Team of the Year -
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