Despite making the final of the T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies, not a single South African player was good enough, according to the International Cricket Council (ICC), to make the tournament’s Dream Team.
The team they demolished by nine wickets in the semi-finals, Afghanistan, have three players (wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rashid Khan and Fazalhaq Farooqi) in the chosen XI, Australia, who failed to make the playoffs, have Marcus Stoinis, the West Indies (another team SA klapped en route to the final) have Nicholas Pooran, while the rest of the players come from champions India.
India captain Rohit Sharma was chosen by panellists and commentators Harsha Bhogle, Ian Bishop and Kass Naidoo as well as ICC General Manager of Cricket Wasim Khan to lead the team.
SA got a troosprys, though, with fast bowler Anrich Nortje chosen as 12th man.
A closer look at the tournament statistics reveal why Protea players were overlooked.
Farooqi took the most wickets (17) at the tournament alongside India’s Arshdeep Singh. Jasprit Bumrah was third, followed by Nortje (both 15), with the former having a better average.
In the batting department, Gurbaz scored the most runs (281) at the tournament, averaging 35.12.
Being a keeper and opener, he therefore beats Quinton de Kock (who finished fourth-highest with 243 at an average of 27 per innings) to the position.
Sharma finished second on the scorers charts with 257 runs – two more than Aussie Travis Head.
ICC WORLD CUP DREAM TEAM
The best of the best 🌟
Presenting the #T20WorldCup 2024 Team of the Tournament 📋
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