An All-Time Twenty20 XI

[Uppercut]

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.

If you're including those still playing in the IPL, the following, for me, are automatic picks:

S Jayasuriya
A Symonds
S Watson
D Vettori
N Bracken

I'd go for:

S Jayasuriya
M Hayden (somehow forgotten by everyone. Check out his T20 record.)
S Watson
M Hussey (you're MASSIVELY underselling his ability to score fast. He holds the record for the fastest T20 century ever.)
A Symonds
A Gilchrist
A Flintoff
S Pollock
D Vettori
N Bracken
G McGrath

Plenty of players unlucky to miss out, but particularly Yuvraj who was only just edged out by Mike Hussey.

 

[Howsie]

1.Sehwag
2.McCullum(WK)
3.Taylor
4.Yuvraj Singh
5.Symonds
6.Oram
7.Morkel
8.Vettori
9.Tanvir
10.Butler
11.Gul

 

[Somerset]

FFS, Jake Oram not mentioned until now.

The fact that hes taken 3 T20 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 87 might have something to do with that...

 

[NZTailender]

The fact that hes taken 3 T20 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 87 might have something to do with that...

We all know he can bowl quite well despite his poor bowling stats, but ignoring that he's one of the best T20 bats going around, in my opinion, and should make such an XI on batting at this stage.

I mean, IIRC, the most of appearances in Twenty20 internationals goes to Brendon McCullum with 19. I think this thread in a few years time, when more games have been played, will be much more interesting.

 

[Uppercut]

S Jayasuriya
M Hayden (somehow forgotten by everyone. Check out his T20 record.)
S Watson
M Hussey (you're MASSIVELY underselling his ability to score fast. He holds the record for the fastest T20 century ever.)
A Symonds
A Gilchrist
A Flintoff
S Pollock
D Vettori
N Bracken
G McGrath

Plenty of players unlucky to miss out, but particularly Yuvraj who was only just edged out by Mike Hussey.

We all know he can bowl quite well despite his poor bowling stats, but ignoring that he's one of the best T20 bats going around, in my opinion, and should make such an XI on batting at this stage.

I mean, IIRC, the most of appearances in Twenty20 internationals goes to Brendon McCullum with 19. I think this thread in a few years time, when more games have been played, will be much more interesting.

Who would you replace with him out of that? If you just want the extra batsman, would you pick Oram over Yuvraj?

 

[NZTailender]

Who would you replace with him out of that? If you just want the extra batsman, would you pick Oram over Yuvraj?

Depends what role. I'd have Oram for batting at 6 or lower for late hitting and all that, and Yuvraj for 5 or higher.

 

[pskov]

If we are including IPL players:

Hayden
Gayle
Symonds
Yuvraj
Hussey, M
Dhoni+
Flintoff
Vettori
Warne*
Bracken
McGrath

 

[Nate]

Uppercut, am assuming most people didn't choose Hayden because of his reitrement. It's why I didn't pick him in any case.

 

[Burgey]

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.

Good shout, esp. Misbah. Guy smoked 'em in that tourney.

 

[Uppercut]

Uppercut, am assuming most people didn't choose Hayden because of his reitrement. It's why I didn't pick him in any case.

Check out the name of the thread

 

[masterblaster]

Disappointed that nobody has selected Gautam Gambhir. He's one of the best T20 and ODI batsman going around at the moment. He's a better choice than Jayasuriya or Hayden if taking youth and current form into account.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Watto a walk-up start you'd imagine.

 

[pup11]

Ok so my T20 side wouyld be like this....

1.Brad Hodge
2.Gautam Gambhir
3.Kevin Pietersen
4.Yuvraj Singh
5.Andrew Symonds
6.MS.Dhoni+
7.Jacob Oram
8.Shaun Pollock
9.Shane Warne*
10.Nathan Bracken
11.Glenn McGrath

Honourable mentions: Graeme Smith, Matty Hayden, Shane Watson, Danny Vettori and Sanath Jayasuriya.

 

[NZTailender]

I guess most people are including IPL performances towards this XI?

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I guess most people are including IPL performances towards this XI?

Doesn't seem like it, Watto only made two sides.

 

[Johnners]

Haha, bloke is voted player of the tournament yet can hardly make anyones side.

 

[Nate]

Check out the name of the thread

Well that's embarrassing. Will edit.

 

[Precambrian]

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.

And yet you include Langeveldt who has hardly played any T20s and revelled in one match?

 

[pskov]

20th Century T20 XI

Adam Gilchrist+
Victor Trumper
Don Bradman
Viv Richards
Garry Sobers
Keith Miller
Kapil Dev
Jack Gregory
Shane Warne*
Joel Garner
Sydney Barnes

 

[Jigga988]

I'd go for:

S Jayasuriya
M Hayden (somehow forgotten by everyone. Check out his T20 record.)
S Watson
M Hussey (you're MASSIVELY underselling his ability to score fast. He holds the record for the fastest T20 century ever.)
A Symonds
A Gilchrist
A Flintoff
S Pollock
D Vettori
N Bracken
G McGrath

Plenty of players unlucky to miss out, but particularly Yuvraj who was only just edged out by Mike Hussey.

Flintoff at seven... have you seen his T20 batting record, it's pretty shocking atm... would replace him for Yuvraj, got enough death bowlers in the team, and could get four overs out of Watson, Roy etc, and then replace Haydos for Gayle and you got my team...