As the global T20 competition nears it's conclusion, here I have selected an all-star team out of the 10 sides that competed in the main draw.
Note 1: The numbers indicate the batting order.
Note 2: Not more than 2 players were selected from a single team.
Note 3: Players are selected based on their performances in their original batting order and not on merit.
Note 4: Performances are taken into consideration only up to the final match of the group stage.
1. Robin Uthappa - Kolkata Knight Riders
An average of 77.00 after three innings and 154 runs at 143.92 is more than what one would expect from an opener. Uthappa brought his IPL form with him in to this competition and despite missing the opening fixture, he is in the top 3 of the Golden bat standings.
Terming his batting as dependable seems like an understatement.
Terming his batting as dependable seems like an understatement.
2. Anton Devcich - Northern Knights
The Blackcaps opener has been the silent star for the Knights when realizing the fact that he is No.4 in the Golden bat rankings. Even though the opener failed in the second game, he showed brief resistance (at No.3) against Kings XI Punjab before the batting order collapsed again.
Even against Hobart Hurricanes, his single digit score is more concerned with the spectacular Ben Laughlin catch. The left hander made an useful 47 after Kane Williamson perished early against Barbados Tridents.
Manan Vohra is unlucky to miss out.
3. Aiden Blizzard - Hobart Hurricanes
The left hander is second in the golden bat honors with 188 runs from 4 innings. The Australian is also the only batsman to post two 50+ scores in the tournament (excluding the qualifiers) so far and hence his average reads an impressive 62.66.
A strike rate of 141.35 means he scores big and scores them quick too. As a result of Blizzard's better showings, Suresh Raina is overlooked.
4. Jonathan Carter - Barbados Tridents
The southpaw batted at will in all the four innings he took guard and is one of the two centurions in this year's tournament.
The No.4 batsman looked at ease against both spin and pace and the Caribbean unit would have faced embarrassing losses if not for Carter's responsible aggression. He is the leading run scorer of the group stages, the only man to cross the 200-run mark.
5. Umar Akmal (wk) - Lahore Lions
A few of you might be surprised of my decision to exclude the Chennai Super Kings skipper in first place rather than the Pakistani's inclusion. Here goes my justification: Akmal batted in three innings and made 139 runs, all three innings meant so much to his team than the numbers suggest.
True Dhoni has a better strike rate for his 70 runs, but Akmal has one more crucial knock than the Indian and should be the first choice for the same. Dhoni's golden duck against Dolphins do not help his case either. However, one more innings from both of them had not for the washed out encounter between their sides might have given a clear winner.
6. David Miller - Kings XI Punjab
Who else at No.6 but the responsible finisher who consolidates before going bang-bang? The left-hander has only been dismissed once from four innings and has every time ensured the safe passage of his team to the finish.
The 'Killer Miller' with 102 runs at a strike rate of 147.82 has turned into a specialist in closing out an innings of late. What else you need from a finisher?
7. Mitchell Marsh (c) - Perth Scorchers
The Scorchers' all-rounder played a couple of breathtaking innings under pressure, first against Dolphins and the latest doing CSK a favor, against Lahore Lions. Not many can score the required two sixes off the last two to win a game. That is exactly what the right-hander did in his innings of 40*(26) against the Protean side.
He then registered scores of 4 & 19 against the two IPL heavyweights when the entire batting order collapsed dramatically. Then came the top innings of 63*(38) against LL. He rescued the side from 40/6 in 9th over and propelled them in the chase of 125 with the company of Brad Hogg.
Since he has to fill in as the fifth bowler for our side, coming to his bowling skills, his medium pacers were only utilized for six overs in the entire competition that fetched him 2 wickets at an economy of 5.50. Underused, I'll say.
Owing to the lack of convincing performances from any of the captains and considering that he led the side against LL, Marsh is chosen as the leader for my side.
Robert Frylinck is very unlucky to miss out.
8. Jeevan Mendis - Barbados Tridents
Playing for the depleted Tridents, the Sri Lankan impressed every one with the ball, but was unable to get their campaign on the right path.
His best effort stands at 4/27 against Cobras in the match that needed a super over to decide a winner. In the only other match he played before leaving for international commitments, the leg-spinner picked up 2/18 against the powerful Kings XI batting line-up. An economy rate of 5.62 from 8 overs is very hard to ignore either.
9. Ben Hilfenhaus - Hobart Hurricanes
The Hurricanes should be thankful for Dwayne Bravo's return with the Chennai Super Kings, as it made the IPL-side exclude Hilfenhaus from their 15-member squad.
Witnessing the swing bowler's exploits with the ball: 8 wickets from 4 matches, the Indian side might feel that they took a wrong call not to avail the pacer's services.
His teammate Doug Bollinger, also with eight wickets was expensive.
10. Sunil Narine - Kolkata Knight Riders
How can we leave the mystery spinner out of a best XI? His 11 wickets at an economy of 5.12 guarantees inclusion.
He is the trump card for Gautam Gambhir and the spinner responds almost every time with wickets for the reigning IPL champions who hope to add the CLT20 crown to their showcase.
11. Ashish Nehra - Chennai Super Kings
The left-arm seamer is probably the biggest positive for Team India from this CLT20. The 35-year-old turned back the clock with his bowling, troubling the batsmen with the new ball and was almost unplayable at the start.
The way he bowled to Craig Simmons against Perth Scorchers made me wonder as if the Australian is blindfolded. Such was the impact he generated. True, the batsman managed a couple of boundaries, but was standing way outside the crease for those balls. Nehra's tally of 8 wickets from 3 matches is only secondary for his inclusion.
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