T20 Dream XI: Players who have never played the shorter format

Wasim Akram

6.Aravinda De Silva (Sri Lanka)

Aravinda De Silva, one of the best batsman of his times, was given the nickname ‘Mad Max’ for his flamboyant yet inconsistent batting prowess that made him lose his wicket going for rash shots. But a stint with the English county team Kent fine tuned his game and, in the following year, etched his name in history with a century in the 1996 World Cup final. The diminutive Sri Lankan ended his career after the 2003 World Cup and has since then gone on to play an integral role in his country’s cricket administration.

At a time when cricket was seen as a sign of hope for a war-torn nation, his altruistic performances helped his team register crucial victories to help the cause. A handy off-break bowler, De Silva provided useful bowling options to the team, which is very essential for the T20 format.

7.Sir Ian Botham (England)

Ian Botham, one of the greatest all-rounders of his time, fits like clockwork at no.7. Apart from being the leading English wicket-taker with 383 wickets, this English icon has over 5000 runs to his name. He was the fastest to reach the double of 100 wickets and 1000 runs. His heroics under Mike Brearley’s captaincy managed to capture back the imagination of a football frenzy England of the 80’s. Botham’s career reached its twilight stage towards the start of the 90’s, just when some radical changes were taking place in the shorter versions. But Ian Botham at his best could make fpr an exciting viewing in the shorter format. Ian Botham, with his solid batting and penetrative bowling, would have dominated the IPL with his endless self-belief and talent that elevated English cricket during his times.

8.Kapil Dev (India)

The ‘Hurriyana Hurricane’ would have caused quite a stir if he was ever up for the IPL auctions. Having inspired a nation to dream about cricket, it would be only fair enough to think that T20 would have been a cakewalk for him. With a frugal economy rate that stands out in comparison with his contemporaries, Kapil Dev has the numbers going right for him. India’s only true fast bowling all-rounder finds himself coming in to bat at no.8. His stats for a no.8 is the third best for batsmen who have batted in more than 40 innings, just behind Daniel Vettori and Mark Boucher.

9.Wasim Akram (Pakistan)

The left-arm pacer would form an ideal opening bowling pair with Curtley Ambrose. The pair has the ability to run through any batting line-up.. He has collected over 500 wickets at an average of 23.52 and at an economy of under 4. Perhaps the best left-arm bowler of all time, Akram could do the magic with the new as well as the old ball and could easily back that up with a few hits down the order to change the course of the game. His mastery over the ball makes him a must-have in any format of the game, leave alone in T20. Akram, referred to as the ‘sultan of swing’ at no.9, is as good as it gets for any team.

10.Bishan Singh Bedi(IND)

A strong critic of the 20 over format, Bishan Singh Bedi holds the record for the most economical bowling figures in a 60-over ODI game 12-8-6-1(overs-maiden-runs-wicket). He is second only to Lance Gibbs for the number of maiden overs per Test. Considered as one of India’s best, the crafty left-arm spinner has taken 266 wickets in 67 Tests and is third in terms of wickets by an Indian spinner, behind Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. Bedi will be the lone spinner in the playing 11.

11.Curtly Ambrose (WI)

A lethal fast bowler with 405 wickets, 22 five-wicket hauls, and an economy rate of 2.30 in Test cricket, Ambrose mirrors his West Indian fast bowling lineage. The 6 ft 7 inches fast bowler, delivering from a height of almost 10 feet, made it nearly impossible for batsmen to negotiate the bounce. The sight of a tall fast bowler steaming in is something any batsmen dreads, and Ambrose provides exactly that. Some of his greatest spells are a treat to watch, with batsmen struggling to deal with the bounce or edging the ball to the slip cordon. Ambrose fills the last available spot.