ICC names ODI Team of the Year

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced its World ODI Team of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar.

The announcement was made at the ICC Awards celebration at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Presented in association with FICA, the ICC Awards recognise the best international players of the past 12 months.

The World ODI Team of the Year (in batting order) is:

Matthew Hayden (Aus)

Sachin Tendulkar (Ind)

Ricky Ponting (Aus, captain)

Kevin Pietersen (Eng)

Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI)

Jacques Kallis (SA)

Mark Boucher (SA, wicketkeeper)

Chaminda Vaas (SL)

Shane Bond (NZ)

Muttiah Muralidaran (SL)

Glenn McGrath (Aus)

12th man: Michael Hussey (Aus)

Seven countries are represented in the 12-man line-up and four players – Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Shane Bond and Muttiah Muralidaran – also appeared in the World ODI Team of the Year in 2006.

Australia’s Ricky Ponting was named captain of the World ODI Team of the Year, replacing Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardena, who was chosen for the role last year.

Chairman of the ICC Awards Selection Panel, Sunil Gavaskar, said his panel felt it had come up with a line-up that boasted considerable depth in both batting and bowling.

The World XI ODI Team of the Year was chosen by the ICC’s selection panel made up of Gavaskar, the former India captain, and also including Chris Cairns, the former New Zealand all-rounder, ex-South Africa batsman Gary Kirsten, Iqbal Qasim, the former Pakistan left-arm spinner, and ex-England captain Alec Stewart.

Selection was based on performances between the voting period of 9 August 2006 to 8 August 2007. Statistics were available as a guide but were not necessarily a determining factor in the choices made.

ODI statistics for chosen batsmen during the voting period

Player M Inns no R Av S/R HS 100 50

Hayden 26 25 3 1,368 62.18 87.69 181* 5 4

Tendulkar 26 25 4 905 43.09 80.44 141* 2 7

Ponting 28 26 3 1,185 51.52 89.09 113 3 10

Pietersen 21 21 3 800 44.44 82.47 104 2 5

Chanderpaul 31 29 7 1,260 57.27 70.62 149* 4 9

Kallis 30 26 7 1,149 60.47 78.64 128* 2 7

Boucher 33 25 5 805 40.25 108.78 147* 1 6

Hussey 32 23 7 670 41.87 80.43 109* 2 1

ODI statistics for chosen bowlers during the voting period

Player M Balls R Wkts Av S/R Econ Best 4wi 5wi

Kallis 30 1,004 771 30 25.70 33.4 4.60 3-3 0 0

Vaas 20 922 566 29 19.51 31.7 3.68 3-10 0 0

Bond 22 1,140 795 38 20.92 30.0 4.18 5-23 2 1

Muralidaran 22 1,027 636 39 16.30 26.3 3.71 4-19 3 0

McGrath 29 1,407 967 50 19.34 28.1 4.12 3-14 0 0

Individuals selected for the Test and ODI Teams of the Year each receive a commemorative, hand-crafted cap which varies in style to reflect the different forms of the game. The caps were presented by former Indian opening batsman Gavaskar, chairman of the ICC selection panel.