Best XI comprising of legends who featured in the first edition of Cricket All-Stars series

Cricket’s latest festival went on to be a huge success in the United States, thanks to inceptors Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne.

Cricket’s latest festival went on to be a huge success in the United States, thanks to inceptors Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. The duo collaborated to bring together some of the finest former cricketers together to play in a cricket series at iconic baseball venues in the US in a bid to promote the game there. With some of the finest cricketers from the previous two decades participating in the inaugural edition of the Cricket All-Stars series 2015, any XI would be a dream XI. The first edition saw three Twenty20 games played across the US with Shane Warne’s Warriors thrashing Sachin Tendulkar’s Blasters 3-0. Fans witnessed run feast and in between there were some good bowling spells as well. Suvajit Mustafi presents you an XI comprising the best players from the first edition of cricket’s latest pageant.

 1.  Sachin Tendulkar (Sachin’s Blasters): Blasters may have been dominated 3-0, but the side’s skipper fought till the end. It may have been two years since Tendulkar retired from the game, but the world once again witnessed what sets him apart. He got runs in every match and a half-century in the final game.

 

2.  Jacques Kallis (Warne’s Warriors): He benefitted from the fact that he is one of the most recently retired players and continues to play in a few professional leagues. Kallis is undoubtedly one of the greatest all-rounders to have graced the game. Kallis played a key role in Warriors’ win at Houston and Los Angeles.

 

 3.  Ricky Ponting (Warne’s Warriors): He was at his destructive best and perhaps the most consistent batsman in the series. His resilient unbeaten 48 won Warriors the first game at New York and he followed that up with two blitzkriegs. He scored 40s in all the games and struck 8 sixes. He ended up as the second highest run-getter in the series.

 

4.  Kumar Sangakkara (Warne’s Warriors) — Wicketkeeper: It was somewhat unfair to let the very recently retired Sanga play against guys who haven’t been around for quite some time. Sanga was quite severe on Curtly Ambrose in the first game but the fun fact is that the latter retired in 2000, the year Sanga made his international debut. As expected he emerged Player of the Series, and was at his brutal best. Not surprisingly he ended up with the most runs, most sixes (12), most fours (12), and 3 dismissals. Lucky that Warne had him in his side.

 

5.  Andrew Symonds (Warne’s Warriors): He did look dangerous with the bat in his brief stay at the wicket. Almost 60 per cent of Symonds’ runs came in sixes, which tells you that the big man can still dominate at will. What’s surprising is the fact that he ended the series as the highest wicket-taker. Don’t look at his economy rate: the average is bound to make him an automatic choice. Had he not picked up those wickets at the end in the series opener at New York, Blasters would have gone past the 150-mark.

 

6.  Daniel Vettori (Warne’s Warriors): He didn’t have to bat in the series but if a dream team has to be made, he will probably bat ahead of the others who are to follow. Otherwise the Kiwi legend was exceptional with the leather. Where most of the bowlers were going over 10 an over, Vettori ended the series with an economy rate of 5.75. Incredible!

 

7.  Graeme Swann (Sachin’s Blasters): Finally, we have another player from the Blasters. The intelligent offie bowled without much support but did enough to restrict things for his side. Also in the only opportunity he got with the bat, he played a cameo.

 

8.  Shane Warne (Warne’s Warriors) — Captain: Even after years of his international retirement, Warne remains an indomitable champion. The only ball that he faced in the series, he struck for a six to complete a 3-0 sweep. It was him who led the Warriors to the win in the very first game when Blasters were going all guns blazing when he picked up his nemesis Tendulkar and followed that up with the wicket of Brian Lara. His 3 for 20 saw him bag the Man of the Match. So he picked up the first wicket to fall in the series and scored the last runs in it too. Warne captains the side.

 

9.  Wasim Akram (Warne’s Warriors): Even at 49 and despite being diabetic, Wasim can still bowl those toe crushing yorkers. In the first game, he managed to keep Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag quiet. Wasim may have not picked a single wicket in the series but was by far the most impressive pacer and in the first game, he ended with figures of 4-0-16-0.

 

10.  Saqlain Mushtaq (Warne’s Warriors): Adding to the spin trio of left-armer Vettori, off-spinner Swann and leg-spinner Warne, here’s the fourth spinner, Saqlain. He is different from Swann as the Englishman relies more on flight while Saqlain plays around with variations. Yes, it’s absurd to have four quality spinners in the same side but how can you keep out the inventor of doosra and still goes on to come up with teesra, another variation, that too years post his playing days? Saqlain may have just played one game but he made enough impact to make it to this side.

 

11.  Shoaib Akhtar (Sachin’s Blasters): Years after his retirement and despite the sore knees, he continues to be a menace with the ball. Akhtar was brilliant in New York and almost won it for Blasters there. His numbers many not look very impressive but he was the best fast bowler amongst the others.

Akhtar is the sixth specialist bowler in the side; including Kallis and Symonds, the side has eight bowlers. Strange, is it not? Well, in a series that has witnessed raining boundaries and seen 200-plus scores being chased down, you better equip yourself with more options. Plus Vettori, Swann, Warne and Akram can all bat.

 

(Suvajit Mustafi consumes cricket for lunch, fiction for dinner and munches numerous other snacks throughout the day. Yes, a jack of several trades, all Suvajit dreamt of was being India’s World Cup winning skipper but ended up being a sports writer, author, screenwriter, director, copywriter, graphic designer, sportsmarketer , strategist, entrepreneur,  philosopher and traveller. Donning so many hats, it’s cricket which gives him the ultimate high and where he finds solace. He can be followed at @RibsGully and rivu7)

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