Younis, Yasir, Sarfraz make it to ICC’s Test Team of the Year 2015

Dawn Sport Published December 2, 2015

Pakistan's batsman Younis Khan celebrates scoring a century during the first day's play of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on August 6, 2014. — AP/File

The ICC on Wednesday announced its Test and ODI Teams of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by the ICC’s Cricket Committee chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble.

The qualification period ran from September 18th 2014 to September 13th 2015 and the selection panel included past greats of the world game including former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, ex England batsman Mark Butcher, former Australia women’s captain Belinda Clark and G Viswanath, Deputy Editor of The Hindu & Sportstar.

Three Pakistan players, Younis Khan, wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed and leg-spinner Yasir Shah were included in the ICC’s Test side.

ICC Test Team of the Year 2015:

David Warner (Aus)
Alastair Cook (Eng) (captain)
Kane Williamson (NZ)
Younis Khan (Pak)
Steven Smith (Aus)
Joe Root (Eng)
Sarfraz Ahmed (Pak) (wicketkeeper)
Stuart Broad (Eng)
Trent Boult (NZ)
Yasir Shah (Pak)
Josh Hazlewood (Aus)
12th: Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind)

Alastair Cook has been named as the captain of the side that includes two other Englishmen, Stuart Broad and Joe Root. This is the fifth time since 2009 that Broad has been selected in the ICC Test Team of the Year having previously been included in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014. For Cook, this is his fourth selection and his second as captain having achieved that feat in 2013.

Steven Smith is one of three Australian players selected alongside opener David Warner, for the second successive year, and pace bowler Josh Hazlewood.

New Zealand duo Trent Boult and Kane Williamson make up the starting team, with India’s Ravichandran Ashwin named as 12th man.

However, no Pakistani cricketer managed to be a part of the ICC’s ODI team of the year.

ICC ODI Team of the Year 2015:

Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL)
Hashim Amla (SA)
Kumar Sangakkara (SL) (wicketkeeper)
AB de Villiers (SA) (captain)
Steven Smith (Aus)
Ross Taylor (NZ)
Trent Boult (NZ)
Mohammed Shami (Ind)
Mitchell Starc (Aus)
Mustafizur Rahman (Bang)
Imran Tahir (SA)
12th: Joe Root (Eng)

The Chairman of the ICC Awards Selection Panel, Anil Kumble, said: “I would like to congratulate all the players for their selection in the Test and ODI teams of the year. It is an achievement for each of them to be proud of and recognition for their good performances in the qualifying period.

“Team selection is one of the toughest jobs and when you have a large pool of outstanding players to select from in a 12-month period then it becomes even more difficult. It was a particularly busy year, with a series of stellar performances throughout the Test and ODI formats, not least in a hugely successful ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which has greatly enhanced the popularity and profile of the game internationally.

“Testament to the quality of cricket played is the calibre of players to have missed out on selection. While selecting these squads, the selectors considered various combinations and took into account several factors in overall performances. Congratulations to all of the players on their selections.” — ICC

Sport

Herald exclusive: Younis Khan, the man in a glass cage

Yasir Shah: Messi lookalike who wants to be like Warne

Sarfraz Ahmed — excelling with bat, gloves despite odds

Revolutionising reproductive health: Viya launches Viya Telehealth

On DawnNews

ٹوئٹر، ٹائی ٹینک اور ٹرمپ

‘فل فرائی یا ہاف فرائی’، جعلی پولیس مقابلوں کا رجحان کیسے ختم کیا جائے؟

سیکیورٹی خدشات اور پاک چین تعلقات، آگے کیا ہونے والا ہے؟

Dawn News English

What To Know About The ICC’s Arrest Warrants

Why Do We Need Gender Responsive NDCs?

🔴LIVE: IDEAS 2024

IHC Grants Imran Bail

“Netanyahu Could Face A Prison Sentence Of Up To 10 Years”

Israeli Settlers Have Reportedly Torched Palestinian Vehicles

Will US Long-Range Missiles Escalate the Ukraine War?

Comments (53) Closed

Sheraz

Dec 02, 2015 12:58pm

Means the big of big 3 is good for nothing...

Recommend 0

M.Saeed

Dec 02, 2015 01:01pm

Not a single Pakistani player in ODI eleven !

Recommend 0

analyses

Dec 02, 2015 01:01pm

3 players from Pakistan team, that is really great! And excellent choice I must say as all the people included in these teams performed really well. Only exception I see is absence of AB Devilliers in Test team. However, the guys included in his place i.e. Smith and Root have had a really great year and they amassed tons of runs during 2015.

Recommend 0

salman(khan of khyber)

Dec 02, 2015 01:02pm

mohammed shami in odi team of the year...cant stop laughing

Recommend 0

khan

Dec 02, 2015 01:05pm

how can you forget AB develiers. it is just a a formality.

Recommend 0

khan

Dec 02, 2015 01:06pm

muhammad shami in 11 , you must be kidding me. hahha

Recommend 0

Yasmin

Dec 02, 2015 01:10pm

What would the reaction of the ICC be if Pakistan stopped playing cricket all together

Recommend 0

MSH

Dec 02, 2015 01:14pm

Shami ..!!!!!

Recommend 0

Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale

Dec 02, 2015 01:18pm

Three players in tests team and that's without begging BCCI and their so called money. Time for introspection PCB, open your eyes and look forward. Pakistan Cricket is doing great and don't need to be dependent on BCCI on anything. I wish Misbah was included as well but Root, Smith and Williamson were all better choices. Also I would've had Anderson instead of Hazelwood.

Recommend 0

Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Dec 02, 2015 01:43pm

Weldone Sarfaraz, Younus and Yasir.

Recommend 0

Nabeell

Dec 02, 2015 01:46pm

@Dilshan Hasan Before you point finger at others please open your eyes and see its SHAMI from India not Sami from Pakistan. Plus Sarfraz has been part of the team since WC, he was on Hajj leaves while Zimbabwe Series!

Recommend 0

CALCUTTA MAN

Dec 02, 2015 02:16pm

@khan Funny you should say that, it was the exact same reaction I had when I read Sarfraz's name...

Recommend 0

Karachi wala

Dec 02, 2015 02:35pm

This proves that Sarfaraz is the best wicket keeper in the world. All bashers of Sarfaraz should now accept this.

Recommend 0

Dec 02, 2015 02:35pm

M Shami in ODI? lolol

Recommend 0

abdul rahim

Dec 02, 2015 02:50pm

Wish Pakistani selectors, manager,coach and captain acclaim's the caliber of SARFRAZ especially T/20 captain.

Recommend 0

Ijaz

Dec 02, 2015 02:54pm

I am surprised that Boult and Hazlewood have been included at the expense of Jimmy Anderson (England) and Mornie Morkel (South Africa)

Recommend 0

Ijaz

Dec 02, 2015 02:55pm

@Sheraz Well there are 6 players (more than half the team) in the test 11!

Recommend 0

syed wasim haider

Dec 02, 2015 02:56pm

Waqar was totally against Sarfaraz and Yasir in World Cup 2015.This shows the ability of Waqar as a coach.As a bowler all respects for him.

Recommend 0

ali khan

Dec 02, 2015 03:14pm

@M.Saeed can u blame them, some Pakistanis(like Umer AKmal) shot be shot let alone kept in the side.

Recommend 0

Parveen durrani

Dec 02, 2015 03:41pm

@Nabeell : we are only defending players from Karachi who r not getting their rights. Can image future t20 captain drops half dozens. this is not justify. give same right to karachi players as Lahore got.

Recommend 0

Asgher Ali

Dec 02, 2015 03:44pm

@khan-Why are you surprised that thee is no Pakistani player in the ODI squad? Did any one show a regularly good performance?

Recommend 0

Sheraz

Dec 02, 2015 04:11pm

@Ijaz I'm talking about the big of Big 3...means India..:)

Recommend 0

Dilshan Hasan

Dec 02, 2015 04:14pm

@Nabeell : any how pity matter, PCB Chairman and Afridi should tell why Sarfarz drop, particularly Afridi grow up, start business, cricket every thing from Gulshan Iqbal Karachi now he is against karachi players.

Recommend 0

Rehan

Dec 02, 2015 04:19pm

hope our worthy coach waqar and mr. know all lala realize the potential of sarfaraz !!!

Recommend 0

Arif Ahmed

Dec 02, 2015 04:34pm

Oh but Ramiz Raja is still praying on his prayer-bead (tasbeeh): UmarAkmal - super talent - UmarAkmal - super talent - Umar Akmal - super talent....ad iniftum...ad nauseum...

Recommend 0

ski

Dec 02, 2015 04:46pm

Sarfaraz Ahmed Who?

Recommend 0

Zak

Dec 02, 2015 05:20pm

3 players in a world test team. Pakistani talent leads Asia. Just too good.

Recommend 0

Justice

Dec 02, 2015 05:21pm

@NZ Yes absolutely right. It is like every good student may not be a good teacher.

Recommend 0

yousapzai

Dec 02, 2015 05:22pm

This list might upset PCB, waqar and others loyalists of PCB because none of them are from Lahore. I strongly believe Younas Khan can still do it for Pakistan in coming T20 if given full powers. He will also guard against fixing matches being an honest person. I don't trust Waqar, Mushtaq and the lot given their tainted past.

Recommend 0

Ijaz

Dec 02, 2015 05:25pm

@Sheraz Thank you Sheraz.

Recommend 0

Ahmed

Dec 02, 2015 05:42pm

@salman(khan of khyber): You and me both mate! Having Shami in the list is probably the joke of the century

Recommend 0

shazad

Dec 02, 2015 05:48pm

@salman(khan of khyber): I do not think there is anything to be so surprised. He was most consistent bowler in Indian squad and in his last 8 ODIs (that is total ODIs he played in 2015), he took 18 wickets for 277 runs @15.38 runs per wicket, and had economy of ~ 3.45 runs per over. So, I think that is quite a good figure, especially when India used him at all crucial stages, whenever India needed break, and most of the time he got the break. On top of that, he was/is quite impressive death over bowler for India.

Recommend 0

Cain

Dec 02, 2015 06:04pm

No Misbah? He has scored more runs and won more man of the matches than the batsmans above in test squad

Recommend 0

analyses

Dec 02, 2015 06:34pm

@CAIN: Care to check the statistics before commenting? In reality all these players have scored more runs in 2015. My only problem is the inclusion of T Boult in the test team. His performance against Australia is all there to see in the recent test series. He's not even the best NZ bowler at the moment. Mitchel Stark is way better and had better stats than Boult in both Tests and ODIs.

Recommend 0

Adnan Mazher Khan

Dec 02, 2015 06:44pm

Can anyone remind this to Mr. Waqar Younis who seems desperate to recall Akmal Bros over and again.

Recommend 0

R.Kannan

Dec 02, 2015 07:16pm

What a joke of selection. The top test test team is SA but not even one South African player makes the grade. The highest wicket taker is Ashwin - he would have had more if the umpires did not deny him a few wickets in Australia - and he finds place as 12th man but players with much less find place in the XI.In one days, Shami was India's second best after Ashwin but finds a place ahead of him.Thank God, Kumble is not one of India's selectors.

Recommend 0

Dec 02, 2015 07:33pm

These teams are based on player performance during 2015 not all time record. Therefore, based on this info heads should roll in Pak team selection committee i.e. manager, coach or Captain who decided to exclude Sarfaraz from the team. BCCP should step in and stop this unfair treatment of players. The reason ODI and T20 captains are doing bad is because of their bias towards Sarfaraz. Pak is best at destroying its own talent due to favoritism.

Recommend 0

rao abid

Dec 02, 2015 07:34pm

Well done guys.......keep your momentum continue.....legend,yasir,sarfraz are the proud of pak

Recommend 0

Kaka

Dec 02, 2015 07:47pm

Notice no player from Punjab ... ;) let's keep playing Shoaib Malik and Akmal Brothers!!

Recommend 0

Zak

Dec 02, 2015 07:59pm

@M.Saeed test cricket is considered the real cricket, ODI is just for money making gimmick, hence one day with quicky results.

Recommend 0

kash

Dec 02, 2015 08:16pm

@M.Saeed They dont deserve place in odi 11

Recommend 0

Insanyat

Dec 02, 2015 08:16pm

Any format Team without AB proves that the selecrion is a joke.

Recommend 0

talhabmasood

Dec 02, 2015 08:39pm

No South African? who is the Number 1 test side??? :O

Recommend 0

Zafar

Dec 02, 2015 08:47pm

Must be the first time 3 Pakistani players made it to an international 11 after a very very long time. Congrats to King Younis, Sarfraz and Yasir!

Recommend 0

shazad

Dec 02, 2015 09:00pm

@R.Kannan: SA has good players but you cannot say that their performance was better in last one year, than those selected. For instance YK made runs at higher ave than most world batsmen in said period, so got selected over seemingly good players. As long as selectors make fair and unbiased choices, one cannot argue. Unfortunately, fans argue without checking performance of players. For instance, your claim about Ashwin is wrong. Shami is the best Indian ODI bowler ever. No bowler in Indian history took ODI wickets at average less than 25 runs per ODI played, except Shami. Check yourself: http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283257.html Shami played 47 ODIs (2013-15), took 84 wickets @24.9 (that is 1.8 wkts per ODI). Has 4w hauls 5 times (1 every 9.4 ODIs). Ashwin played 100 ODIs (2010-15), took 140 wickets @31.7 (that is 1.4 wkts per ODI), Has 4w hauls only once (1 in 100 ODIs). Now, you can judge yourself.

Recommend 0

M.Saeed

Dec 02, 2015 09:35pm

@salman(khan of khyber) : Read carefully the following before you laugh: "The qualification period ran from September 18th 2014 to September 13th 2015 and the selection panel included past greats of the world game including former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, ex England batsman Mark Butcher, former Australia women’s captain Belinda Clark and G Viswanath, Deputy Editor of The Hindu & Sportstar".

Recommend 0

Jawad

Dec 02, 2015 09:43pm

Financially India may be Big 3 but in cricketing terms, Pakistan will always be a Big 3.

Recommend 0

anony

Dec 02, 2015 10:03pm

Congrats to the Pakistani trio and the rest for making it to the prestegious teams. Well done.

Recommend 0

Cric-Lover

Dec 02, 2015 10:43pm

I think Misbah is the best Test Captain around. His batting is also very good. I am surprised he is out. By the way I am a Bangladeshi. Mustafiz in the ODI from Bangladesh deserves his spot.

Recommend 0

yam0791

Dec 03, 2015 01:44am

No Anderson? No Misbah? Really?

Recommend 0

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Dec 03, 2015 02:03am

Welcome to the club.

Recommend 0

Samir

Dec 03, 2015 09:15am

No Indian in test playing 11??? What a shame?! Must be first time....