ICC Forgot That Pakistan is Also its Member And Have Named an IPL Team & Not World XI: Shoaib Akhtar
Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Monday slammed the ICC for not including a single Pakistan player in their T20I team of the decade.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday, announced its ODI, T20I and Test teams of the decade. The ICC announcement has made the day of many Indian cricket fans.
The former Indian skipper and legend MS Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket on August 15 this year, has been named as captain of the ODI and T20I teams. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, has been named as the Test captain.
Not just this, the off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been named in Test XI of the decade, men’s ODI team of the decade consists of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli apart from the side’s captain Dhoni. Men’s T20I team of the decade has four Indians – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah.
Surprisingly, no Pakistan cricketer has got a place in any of the three teams. There were representations from South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh and even Afghanistan in at least one of the three teams.
Even the Women’s T20I and ODI squads also did not have any representation from Pakistan.
Meanwhile, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Monday slammed the ICC for not including a single Pakistan player in their T20I team of the decade. He argued that Babar Azam should have been in the T20I list.
“I think ICC forgot that Pakistan is also a member of ICC and they also play T20I cricket. They did not pick Babar Azam, who is currently the number one batsman in the ICC T20I rankings.
“There is no big player than Babar Azam in T20I. He is a top-scorer for Pakistan and his averages show what he has done for the country, even in comparison with Virat Kohli. It is so embarrassing and I’m sure after this video they will think that they have to announce the World Team of the Decade, not the IPL team,” Shoaib Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.
ICC Announced IPL Team, Not World Cricket Team: Shoaib Akhtar
Akhtar further accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of announcing an IPL team instead of a World XI team.
“They did not pick a single player from Pakistan in the team. We don’t need your (ICC) T20I Team of the Decade because you announced the IPL team, not a world cricket team,” Akhtar said.
ICC T20I Team of the Decade:
Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, MS Dhoni (c), Kieron Pollard, Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, and Lasith Malinga
ICC ODI Team of The Decade:
Rohit Sharma, David Warner, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Shakib Al Hasan, MS Dhoni (c), Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Imran Tahir and Lasith Malinga.
ICC Test Team of The Decade:
Alistair Cook, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Virat Kohli (c), Steve Smith, Kumar Sangakkara, Ben Stokes, Ravi Ashwin, Dale Steyn, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
