Tier 2 Team of the T20 World Cup 2016.
With the 2016 T20 World Cup well and truly over and the West Indies crowned champions, I have a look at my team of the tournament, only with a slight difference. I've selected a squad consisting of solely players from the eight teams that started out their campaigns in the Group stage. No England, no West Indies, no India.
My selection comprises predominantly players from Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the two sides that reached the Super 10, but this only goes to show these sides aren't completely off the pace when it comes to limited overs cricket. Amongst these, there's also a few stand out performers from their respective nations who make my cut.
Here is my team of the tournament for T20's 'Tier 2' sides.
Tamim Iqbal – The Bangladeshi opener finished the World cup as the tournament’s top scorer with a total of 295 runs from six matches. Iqbal also scored the highest single innings score with an impressive 103 not-out against Oman (Bangladesh’s first ever century in a T20 international) as well as smashing a tournament high fourteen maximums.
Mohammed Shahzad – Shahzad finished fourth overall in the most runs chart and was regularly responsible for getting his team going early on. The pick of his performances were a spirited 44 off 19 balls against South Africa and an impressive knock of 61 against Scotland from 39 deliveries. On top of this Shahzad can also fill in behind the stumps doing a reliable job at wicket-keeper.
Sean Williams – With 78 runs from his three innings Williams was Zimbabwe’s top scorer. The highlight of his tournament came courtesy of a 53, 36 ball outing which helped overcome the Scots. Williams makes the cut because he can also rustle something up with ball in hand acting as another option if needed.
Najibullah Zadran – T20 is all about scoring fast and keeping the runs coming. Zadran was the pick of the players playing for teams starting in the group stage as far as strike rate was concerned. The twenty three year old finished the tournament with a strike rate of 147.14 (the ninth best overall of the players who faced fifty or more balls) from five innings, three of which he finished not out. He was declared man of the match in the famous victory against the West Indies following his 48 from 40 deliveries.
Jamie Atkinson – Only Angelo Matthews of Sri Lanka and Andre Fletcher of the West Indies scored more runs than Jamie Atkinson in three or less outings. The Hong Kong opener and nation’s most successful cricketer was the country’s only glimmer of hope in an otherwise disappointing World cup.
Shakib Al Hasan – The Bangladeshi and Kolkata Knight Rider all-rounder did his job superbly, regularly mixing wickets with runs. Shakib took ten wickets in total including three against the Australians and a devilish four wicket display against Oman which ripped their middle order to shreds on the way to a comfortable win. With bat in hand, Al Hasan’s finest moment came when he scored 50 not-out against Pakistan on his home turf at the Eden Gardens.
Amir Hamza - The left handed bowler from Nangarhar Province put in a superb bowling display to help Afghanistan to a famous win over the eventual winners West Indies. Hamza was the only bowler to bowl his full quota of overs in a match and concede single figures. The twenty-four year old bowled his four overs for one wicket and a mere 9 runs, all this against the potent attack of the Windies.
Paul Van Meekeren – Netherlands only got to play one full match in the whole World Cup, with their match with Ireland restricted to just six overs and their encounter with Oman completely postponed. Despite this, the Amsterdam born Meekeren showed real signs of class taking six wickets from six overs all whilst conceding just 28 runs. He was attributed a man of the match performance for his four wicket haul against Ireland in reduced conditions.
Mohammed Nabi – Nabi topped the wicket charts with twelve in total off twenty seven overs. He also took an impressive 4/20 against Hong Kong and had a solid tournament economy rate of 6.07 (the 7th best of all the tournament’s bowlers who bowled ten or more overs) It was his superb performance against Zimbabwe, in which he scored a half century and took an early wicket, which sent Afghanistan to the Super 10 stage for the first time in their history.
Mustafizur Rahman – Despite Bangladesh making the Super 10, Rahman only featured in three matches but posted impressive figures nonetheless. Filling his quota of overs in those games, Rahman took nine wickets in total including a five wicket haul in the match against top opposition New Zealand. Consider all this on top of the fact this medium-fast bowler is just twenty years of age.
Wellington Masakadza – Wellington was joint top of Zimbabwe’s wicket takers with five in total. The bulk of these successes came in a comfortable victory against Scotland in which he took four wickets. As far as wicket takers are concerned, Masakadza appeared to be the best option outside of the teams who took part in the Super 10.
Henry Justice
My selection comprises predominantly players from Afghanistan and Bangladesh, the two sides that reached the Super 10, but this only goes to show these sides aren't completely off the pace when it comes to limited overs cricket. Amongst these, there's also a few stand out performers from their respective nations who make my cut.
Here is my team of the tournament for T20's 'Tier 2' sides.
Tamim Iqbal – The Bangladeshi opener finished the World cup as the tournament’s top scorer with a total of 295 runs from six matches. Iqbal also scored the highest single innings score with an impressive 103 not-out against Oman (Bangladesh’s first ever century in a T20 international) as well as smashing a tournament high fourteen maximums.
Mohammed Shahzad – Shahzad finished fourth overall in the most runs chart and was regularly responsible for getting his team going early on. The pick of his performances were a spirited 44 off 19 balls against South Africa and an impressive knock of 61 against Scotland from 39 deliveries. On top of this Shahzad can also fill in behind the stumps doing a reliable job at wicket-keeper.
Sean Williams – With 78 runs from his three innings Williams was Zimbabwe’s top scorer. The highlight of his tournament came courtesy of a 53, 36 ball outing which helped overcome the Scots. Williams makes the cut because he can also rustle something up with ball in hand acting as another option if needed.
Najibullah Zadran – T20 is all about scoring fast and keeping the runs coming. Zadran was the pick of the players playing for teams starting in the group stage as far as strike rate was concerned. The twenty three year old finished the tournament with a strike rate of 147.14 (the ninth best overall of the players who faced fifty or more balls) from five innings, three of which he finished not out. He was declared man of the match in the famous victory against the West Indies following his 48 from 40 deliveries.
Jamie Atkinson – Only Angelo Matthews of Sri Lanka and Andre Fletcher of the West Indies scored more runs than Jamie Atkinson in three or less outings. The Hong Kong opener and nation’s most successful cricketer was the country’s only glimmer of hope in an otherwise disappointing World cup.
Shakib Al Hasan – The Bangladeshi and Kolkata Knight Rider all-rounder did his job superbly, regularly mixing wickets with runs. Shakib took ten wickets in total including three against the Australians and a devilish four wicket display against Oman which ripped their middle order to shreds on the way to a comfortable win. With bat in hand, Al Hasan’s finest moment came when he scored 50 not-out against Pakistan on his home turf at the Eden Gardens.
Amir Hamza - The left handed bowler from Nangarhar Province put in a superb bowling display to help Afghanistan to a famous win over the eventual winners West Indies. Hamza was the only bowler to bowl his full quota of overs in a match and concede single figures. The twenty-four year old bowled his four overs for one wicket and a mere 9 runs, all this against the potent attack of the Windies.
Paul Van Meekeren – Netherlands only got to play one full match in the whole World Cup, with their match with Ireland restricted to just six overs and their encounter with Oman completely postponed. Despite this, the Amsterdam born Meekeren showed real signs of class taking six wickets from six overs all whilst conceding just 28 runs. He was attributed a man of the match performance for his four wicket haul against Ireland in reduced conditions.
Mohammed Nabi – Nabi topped the wicket charts with twelve in total off twenty seven overs. He also took an impressive 4/20 against Hong Kong and had a solid tournament economy rate of 6.07 (the 7th best of all the tournament’s bowlers who bowled ten or more overs) It was his superb performance against Zimbabwe, in which he scored a half century and took an early wicket, which sent Afghanistan to the Super 10 stage for the first time in their history.
Mustafizur Rahman – Despite Bangladesh making the Super 10, Rahman only featured in three matches but posted impressive figures nonetheless. Filling his quota of overs in those games, Rahman took nine wickets in total including a five wicket haul in the match against top opposition New Zealand. Consider all this on top of the fact this medium-fast bowler is just twenty years of age.
Wellington Masakadza – Wellington was joint top of Zimbabwe’s wicket takers with five in total. The bulk of these successes came in a comfortable victory against Scotland in which he took four wickets. As far as wicket takers are concerned, Masakadza appeared to be the best option outside of the teams who took part in the Super 10.
Henry Justice
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