LAHORE: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has added another feather in his cap as he was named in the honorary World Test Championship Team of the Tournament by the Australian cricket board.
This ‘best XI’ salutes those who delivered for the entirety of the WTC’s two-year cycle, and tries to create a team that would flourish in all conditions, the board said in a statement.
For that reason, three quicks and two spinners (Ravindra Jadeja as an allrounder) have been selected, as well as ultra-aggressive middle-order batters to celebrate a style of play that emerged as popular, and effective, in the second half of the window.
Talking about Babar Azam’s performance, the Australian boar said the Pakistan captain had a phenomenal 24 months in Test cricket, compiling more than 1,500 runs in only 14 Tests.
His 425-ball 196 against Australia in Karachi was a performance of epic proportions that almost resulted in an unlikely Pakistan victory. He also notched centuries against Sri Lanka, England and New Zealand.
Certainly, it helped his cause that he played eight Tests in the batter-friendly home conditions of Pakistan, however he still averaged 56.30 away from home, including 119 against Sri Lanka in Galle which was instrumental in his side’s win.
The team also include Usman Khawaja, Dimuth Karaunaratne, Joe Root, Travis Head, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada and James Anderson.
