The Worst XI of the World T20

Like everyone else, we'll be selecting our best XI of the tournament too, but watching Michael Clarke's scratchy innings in the final yesterday made us think what the worst XI of the competition should be. We deliberately haven't included any players from the four minnows of Afghanistan, Ireland, Zimbabwe or even Bangladesh as that would be a bit obvious and a tad unfair.

Instead we have come up with an XI of players who came to the Caribbean with high reputations and profiles, and who then flopped like Gordon Brown in the UK General Election. Here we go:

Murali Vijay (India) - Scored 48 against Afghanistan, but then only nine runs in total against South Africa, Australia and West Indies thereafter. Not keen on short bowling and a poor replacement for Sehwag. Just edges the equally disappointing Gambhir.

Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) - The old codger scored 15 runs in six innings  and the longer he refuses to retire the more he besmirches our memories of a once great player. It's way past time for the knackers yard, Sanath.

Michael Clarke (Australia, Captain) - A passenger at T20, he scored 92 runs in seven innings at a paltry strike rate of 81. In this XI (unlike the Australian line-up) there would be no hiding place for the first T20 non-playing captain.

Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) - His wretched form from the IPL continued with only 71 runs from six innings. The champ of last year's World T20 turned into one of the chumps of this one.

Yuvraj Singh (India) - A shadow of his former self in all but his stomach, which seems to have blown to at least five bellies. Another player who hugely disappointed for India. A change in attitude and diet are required otherwise he will lose his place. 

Kieron Pollard (West Indies)- The best all-rounder in the IPl was an absolute disaster here. 47 runs at 9.40 with the bat and only one wicket with a horrendous economy rate of 11.00 with the ball. His jet lag from the flight back from India seems to have lasted for three weeks.

Mark Boucher (South Africa) - Like the rest of his side, the much vaunted keeper had a poor tournament here with only 29 runs in five innings.

Ravindra Jadeja (India) - If he was Pakistani there would be a parliamentary enquiry into his performances. His ineptitude with ball and bat was only surpassed by fielding that Stevie Wonder sans his guide dog would have been ashamed of. Didn't even have the excuse of being fatigued from the IPL.

Zaheer Khan (India) - The normally reliable Khan had a nightmare with only two wickets in his three matches. Even worse was his economy rate of 9.54. Was he still suffering from the disappointment of Mumbai's IPL final loss?

Mohammad Sami (Pakistan) - Six wickets in three games sounds okay until you see the economy rate of 9.81. Ouch!

Ravi Rampaul (West Indies) - Like the majority of the hosts, Rampaul had a torrid time with an economy rate of 11.50 from his two matches.

Comments

[Ceejaypee]

Just a shame that Shane Watson got runs. Otherwise I'd have him heading up this merry band of players.

I'd also look at Chris Gayle. Poor given his record and suprosed to see no Graeme Smith, he is clearly not a T20 opener.

[Mock Wah]

By reputation or level of expectation.. Graeme Smith should have made it ahead of Vijay.

[The Reverse Sweep]

Yes, I'd have loved to have had Watson in, but alas he did get some runs and had a very high strike rate. Smith was close but Gayle did score 98 against India so it might have been a bit unfair to include him!! It was close between Vijay and Gambhir, but in the end nine runs in three innings against proper sides swung it for me!

[The Reverse Sweep]

True Smith has a better reputation, but Vijay arrived from the IPL having hit the highest score and with a reputation as a thrasher at the top of the order. It was a close call though with Gambhir too!