Pak trio make cut for Test Team of the Year

KARACHI: The trio of Younis Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah has been instrumental in Pakistan’s ascent to number two in the world Test rankings.
That’s why it was hardly surprising when the three match-winners were rewarded for their consistent performance with spots in the ICC Test Team of the Year on Wednesday.
Pakistan, England and Australia are the only teams that have provided three players apiece in the ICC Test Team of the Year.
While Pakistan are well-represented in the Test line-up, not a single of the country’s players could make it to ICC One-day International Team of the Year.
Younis, 38, who recently retired from ODI cricket, hit a purple patch during the qualification period that spanned from September 18, 2014 to September 13 2015. The former Pakistan captain hit six centuries including a big knock of 213 to amass 1204 runs from 18 Test innings at an average of 80.26.
It was also a memorable year for Sarfraz Ahmed, who has been included in the ICC Test Team of the Year as its wicket-keeper. The aggressive stumper was solid behind the wickets and in addition accumulated 669 runs at 83.65. The 28-year-old Sarfraz also hit two tons during the qualification period.
Leggie Yasir Shah was the key man behind a series of Test triumphs recorded by Pakistan during 2014-15. The 29-year-old from Swabi collected 61 wickets at 24.81 in ten Test appearances during the qualification period.
The teams were chosen by a specially appointed selection panel, chaired by the ICC’s cricket committee chairman Anil Kumble.
Australia skipper Steven Smith and New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult were included in both the ICC’s Test and ODI teams of the year.
Alastair Cook, who led England to a 3-2 Ashes victory during the summer, was named the Test captain of the year. South Africa’s AB de Villiers was selected as the ODI captain, having scored the format’s fastest fifty and hundred
Smith was one of

three Australia players to make the Test team, along with opener David Warner and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.
Stuart Broad, who was the most successful bowler in the Ashes with 21 wickets, was included in the Test XI for the fifth time since 2009. So was his countryman Joe Root.
Kane Williamson found a place in the Test team, but was surprisingly left out of the ODI side, despite being the leading run-scorer in the concerned period. The other major surprises in the Test side were the omissions of Azhar Ali, who had four hundreds and five fifties from 10 matches, and R Ashwin, who could only find a place in the squad as the 12th man.
Mustafizur Rahman became the first Bangladesh cricketer to be included in the ICC’s ODI team of the year, thanks to a barnstorming 11 wickets in his first two matches. He along with Boult, Mohammed Shami and Mitchell Starc, the Player of the Tournament during the 2015 World Cup, made up the ODI team’s pace attack, while Imran Tahir was selected as the sole spinner. Kumar Sangakkara, who recently retired from international cricket, was picked as the ODI team’s wicketkeeper, marking the fourth time he made the side.
“I would like to congratulate all the players for their selection in the Test and ODI teams of the year,” Kumble said. “It is an achievement for each of them to be proud of and a recognition for their good performances in the qualifying period.
“Testament to the quality of cricket played is the calibre of players to have missed out on selection. While selecting these squads, the selectors considered various combinations and took into account several factors in overall performances. Congratulations to all of the players on their selections.”
Test team of the year: David Warner, Alastair Cook (captain), Kane Williamson, Younis Khan, Steven Smith, Joe Root, Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), Stuart Broad, Trent Boult, Yasir Shah, Josh Hazlewood, R Ashwin (12th man).
ODI team of the year: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Hashim Amla, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), AB de Villiers (captain), Steven Smith, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult, Mohammed Shami, Mitchell Starc, Mustafizur Rahman, Imran Tahir, Joe Root (12th man).