side of the t20 world cup

who would be in your side of the t20 world cup?

this would be mine, as usual comment and/or make your own side

1.Mahela Jaywardene (c)
2.Shane Watson
3.Chris Gayle (put him at no3, because all three so far opened in the tournament)
4.Virat Kohli
5.Luke Wright
6.Marlon Samuels
7.Kamran Akmal (wk)
8.Ajantha Mendis
9.Mitchell Starc
10.Nuwan Kulaskera
11.Sunil Narine

12th man: Akila Danjanya

Some odd choices there. I notice you've got a couple of players who are in the flops 11 on cricinfo (Akmal and Gul).

Didn't watch enough of it to pick my own side tbh, you've probably got 7 or 8 of the better players from what I've read, plus a few bizarre picks such as the above.

Akmal did ok with the bat and to be honest there wasnt many wicket keepers who shone to be honest.

mccullum and sangakkara did far better as wicket keepers.

1. McCullum (wk) 2. Watson 3. Jayawardene 4. Kohli 5. Samuels 6. J. Mendis 7 Mathews 8 Narine 9 Ajmal 10 Starc 11 Finn

Just quickly jotted that down so sorry if I've missed anyone... left out Gayle because I wanted McCullum as a keeper and didn't think I should leave out any of the other top three people. Jeevan Mendis isn't the most glamorous but had a good all-round tournament. Not sure I should have picked Mathews, but then who else that can bat 7 did OK with the ball? Not Pollard, Not Albie Morkel, Not Afridi, Not really Sammy (more because of under-bowling than bad bowling)

Finn has to be in it. The best quick bowler in the tournament. Starc was close, but the added hostility of Finn gives him the nod.

i was going to put finn in there, but i wanted 2 spinners, and Starc and Kulkasera were extremely impressive.

As was Finn, more so in my opinion.

Fists of Fury wrote:As was Finn, more so in my opinion.

exactly, your opinon

I would say that Finn and Starc were for me the two outstanding fast bowlers of the tournament.

Spin-wise you have Ajmal, Mendis and Narine - one has to miss out so Narine who I thought didn't have the impact he could have.

The problem with the batting is balance - almost all those who played significant innings did so in the top 3, unlike last time there wasn's a special performer like Hussey (well he played well, but again, at 3) or Morgan (his knock against the West Indies was a one-off. So the balancing is going to be tough.

Kohli and Samuels can probably go further down the order, but no further than 4 and 5 respectively.

Then it's 3 of Gayle, Jayawardene, Watson and McCullum. Watson was deservedly player of the tournament and McCullum gets the keeping slot, so it's a straight out battle of Gayle and Jayawardene. I'm not convinced Gayle can open with Watson, both like to get themselves in, so Jayawardene just wins out.

The remaining slots to fill are at 6 and 7, and frankly as Shelsey says there are no outstanding candidates. Mendis is a good shout, Hussey (M) is another option although his fielding was decidedly shoddy against the West Indies. Hummm...

So
Watson
Jayawardene
McCullum (wkt)
Kohli
Samuels
?
?
Ajmal
Starc
Finn
Mendis

Malinga apart from one game was devastating and would always be in my team for any shortened format.

Has to be in, simple choice.

With Gayle, its pure and simple, he's the most devastating T-20I batsman in the world. He had a pretty good tournament, and he gave his team good starts in most of the matches. He has started bowling again, and he's a quality parttimer in all formats.
Watson has been the best all-rounder of the tournament, and could be very destructive at the top.
Brendon McCullum has been the best wicket keeper in the tournament by a long way, and in most of the matches he came in at 3.
Virat Kohli at 4 for me.
Marlon Samuels with his all-round game would be batting 5 in my side. Both he and Kohli could have batted further up in the order, but doesn't work with the combination.

Eoin Morgan is one of the best finishers in the game and he would bat 6 for me.
Angelo Mathews had an average tournament with the bat, Jeevan Mendis wasn't consistent enough. Shahid Afridi wasn't his usual self with the ball, and there was no surprises with the bat. Kieron Pollard just had the one impact innings and nothing else. Considering all that, I would go for James Franklin in there at 7.
The fast bowlers of the tournament for me were Steven Finn and Mitchell Starc. Ajantha Mendis bowled really well in a couple of matches, but then he went for quite a few in couple of other matches. Sunil Narine, even when not picking many wickets, was a lot more economical. Saeed Ajmal had a very good tournament. So I would have Narine and Ajmal in charge of the spin department.
Gayle
Watson
McCullum
Kohli
Samuels
Morgan
Franklin
Narine
Ajmal
Finn
Starc.

Narine's bowling should probably gets him a place in this side. However, I can't choose him with any enthusiasm. Throughout the tournament he struck me as a poor and - far worse - disinterested fielder.