An All-Time Twenty20 XI

[Something_Fishy]

Twenty20 (as we all know) is not just about swinging the willow. It is a mixture of power, aggression, timing, proper cricket strokes, placement, improvisation, quick thinking, sharp fielding and the ability to bowl yorkers and slower balls (and do not underestimate the value of good umpiring). Although it's only been going a few years, already there are some standout performers. Here is my proposal of the all-time Twenty20 XI:

Chris Gayle (only Twenty20 International centurion)
Adam Gilchrist (wk) (he's just so much better than Brendon McCullum)
Herschelle Gibbs (438 game)
JP Duminy (the classiest player in the world)
Yuvraj Singh (50 runs; 12 balls)
Mike Hussey (in the unlikely event the score is 7/4)
Albie Morkel (jirre, but he can moer a ball)
Shane Warne (c) (proved he is Australia's best (n)ever captain)
Daniel Vettori (best Twenty20 bowler ever)
Nathan Bracken (bowls the best slower balls in the game)
Charl Langeveldt (no.1 death bowler in the world - remember that hattrick against the Windies?)
12th man - Michael Clarke (incredible fielder that can bat)

Also in the squad - Sanath Jayasuriya, Brendon McCullum, Andrew Symonds, Yusuf Pathan and Umar Gul.

Obviously the batting lineup is interchangeable depending on the situation but I reckon this team will 170+ on any surface 90% of the time. The team is also very spin-heavy, and that might have something to do with the fact that I believe spin is very useful in the shorter formats of the game as it is harder to dispatch. 5 bowlers plus Gayle, Singh and Duminy means this team will beat any IPL or Stanford team that stands in its way.

 

[Jarquis]

Solail Tanvir > Umar Gul if you just want to include a Pakistan player.
Although there are better T20 quicks than both of them

 

[pskov]

Andrew Symonds has to be in there. He averages over 50 in both domestic and international T20, with two centuries and a strike rate of 180.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Charl Langeveldt out, Umar Gul in, IMO.

Jayasuriya has to be in the playing XI. Batting SR of 154 and Bowling average of 19.8 are hard to argue against.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Shahid Afridi is worth a punt as a third spinner too. Bowling average of 18.47 and ER of 6.10. If he fires with the bat, its a bonus.

 

[Something_Fishy]

Solail Tanvir > Umar Gul if you just want to include a Pakistan player.
Although there are better T20 quicks than both of them

Disagree wholeheartedly. His antics in the IPL was impressive, no doubt, but it was a once-off. Umar Gul has proven himself in tighter (and more) matches and can bowl better yorkers, slower balls and has the results as well.

 

[Something_Fishy]

Shahid Afridi is worth a punt as a third spinner too. Bowling average of 18.47 and ER of 6.10. If he fires with the bat, its a bonus.

Reckon there's enough in Gayle and Yuvi, plus Afridi hasn't fired in years.

 

[ret]

From the IPL,

- Sehwag
- Gambhir
- KP
- Yuvi
- Symmo / Hussey
- Dhoni
- YK Pathan
- Flintoff
- Morkel
- Warne
- McGrath

 

[Evermind]

Symonds or Pietersen over Hussey. This batting lineup isn't going to be 7/4.

Hard to pick between Gilchurch and Dhoni. They're both huge hitters.

 

[Something_Fishy]

Symonds or Pietersen over Hussey. This batting lineup isn't going to be 7/4.

Hard to pick between Gilchurch and Dhoni. They're both huge hitters.

You never know... But maybe Symonds... I don't know...

Gilchrist any day (Feb 29 inclusive).

 

[HMas]

Gayle
Jayasuriya
Gilchrist
Pieterson
Afridi
Albie Morkel
Yousuf Pathan
Flintoff
Mendis
Gul
Bracken

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Vic Trumper
W. G. Grace
Don Bradman
Viv Richards
Garry Sobers
Gilbert Jessop
Keith Miller
Les Ames (wk)
Dennis Lillee
Bill O'Reilly
Glenn McGrath

Would smoke the listed teams in any format.

 

[Nate]

Chris Gayle
Matthew Hayden
Michael Hussey
Kevin Pietersen
Andrew Symonds
Shane Watson
MS Dhoni (capt) (wk)
Andrew Flintoff
Daniel Vettori
Nathan Bracken
Umar Gul

 

[Athlai]

I'd have Vettori captain and Dhoni vice.

 

[NZTailender]

FFS, Jake Oram not mentioned until now.

1. C Gayle
2. B McCullum+
3. R Ponting
4. A Symonds
5. S Malik
6. Misbah-ul-Haq
7. J Oram
8. D Vettori
9. N Bracken
10. D Steyn
11. U Gul

12th. G Smith

 

[Jigga988]

FFS, Jake Oram not mentioned until now.

Symonds > Oram
Bravo > Oram

 

[NZTailender]

Symonds > Oram

Yes, but they're both good enough to make the all time XI, so that isn't really the issue.

Bravo > Oram

Bravo has done little of note in his T20I career.

 

[Jigga988]

Yes, but they're both good enough to make the all time XI, so that isn't really the issue.




Bravo has done little of note in his T20I career.

Meh... fair enough, definitely capable though.

 

[Harry Harrison]

I just wonder how the people are ignoring Misbah-ul-Haq and Sohail Tanveer. They both are proven best players ob T20. Misbah was best batsman of T20 world cup whereas Tanveer was best bowler of IPL.

 

[pasag]

Vic Trumper
W. G. Grace
Don Bradman
Viv Richards
Garry Sobers
Gilbert Jessop
Keith Miller
Les Ames (wk)
Dennis Lillee
Bill O'Reilly
Glenn McGrath

Would smoke the listed teams in any format.