CLT20 2014: Picking the Best XI of the Tournament
Picking a team of the tournament is always tricky business. It can be a highly subjective exercise, and there will almost always be players who miss out because of an oversight. Still, that has not stopped us from giving it a crack. While players are mostly picked on their overall performances, there is the odd selection based on a couple of isolated performances.
Do add your thoughts in the comments with any objections you might have.
All stats and info via ESPNCricinfo, unless otherwise stated.
1. Aiden Blizzard
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Aiden Blizzard had mixed results with the bat, but his smash-and-grab at the top of the order earns him a spot in the team. His unbeaten 78 off 48 helped the Hobart Hurricanes beat the Cobras. Opener Ben Dunk had a good innings, but almost everyone else failed dismally. Blizzard stepped in and saved the day, somewhat thanks to useless bowling from the Cobras.
2. Kane Williamson
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Kane Williamson topped the run-scoring charts with 244 runs at an average of 40.66. Playing in the qualifiers helped his cause quite significantly, but Williamson is clearly in good form at the moment and he cashed in. He hit two fifties and a hundred in the seven games he played. His efforts faded somewhat toward the end of the tournament as Northern Districts went from looking like title-contenders to stuttering when it really mattered. Still, his effort with the bat is what helped his team get to the main draw in the first place, and that has earned him his place.
3. Suresh Raina (captain)
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A hundred in the final and 234 runs in just five matches at an average of 58.50 not only earns Suresh Raina a spot in the team of the tournament, but it also earns him the captain's armband. Raina was one of the most consistent players throughout the competition, and it seemed only fitting that he hit an unbeaten 109 to help his team win the title in the end.
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4. Robin Uthappa (w/k)
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Robin Uthappa had two good knocks in this year’s competition, an unbeaten 85 against the Dolphins and 39 against the Super Kings. It was enough to see him finish as the second-highest run-scorer of the competition and thus he earns his place in the team. Oh, and the side also needed a wicketkeeper. Since MS Dhoni didn't have any scores of significance, Uthappa earns the honour.
5. Jonathan Carter
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Jonathan Carter might have played for one of the tournament strugglers, but he’s one of just three players to have managed a hundred during the competition. Although it came in a losing cause, scoring a T20 is something worth celebrating. The ton elevated him to sixth-highest run scorer with 203 runs at an average of 67.66, despite playing in just four games.
6. Mitchell Marsh
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Mitchell Marsh makes the team based on his ability to score runs at the death. Winning the match against the Dolphins with two sixes off the final ball takes some serious bottle, and Marsh has shown time and time again that he’s a solid asset lower down the order. He finished with 126 runs at an average of 63.00 and a strike rate at 126.00.
7. Ashish Nehra
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Ashish Nehra was one of the standout bowlers of the tournament with 10 wickets at an average of 15.30. Despite his awful showing in the final where he conceded 54 runs for no wickets, Nehra was one of the most consistent bowlers of the competition. In a land where the spin bowlers tend to be king, it's always refreshing to see the medium pacers perform.
8. Tim Southee
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Tim Southee and Trent Boult’s bowling partnership was one of the sights to behold in the Champions League T20. Swing and pace bowlers often get smashed in the T20 format, but Southee alongside Boult were quite the opposite. Southee picked up eight wickets at an average of 23.37. While that is a little bit expensive, this bowling attack needs some variation, and Southee was one of the best.
9. Pravinder Awana
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Pravinder Awana took nine wickets at an average of 18.00. His best performance came in the semi-final against Chennai Super Kings, when he took three for 30. Considering the Super Kings have players like Suresh Raina knocking about, his ability to hold his nerve under pressure earns him his place in the team of the tournament. His efforts weren't enough to help his side progress to the final, but in isolation, he's earned his spot. He was also the first Indian and just the second bowler to take a hat-trick in the history of Champions League T20. A worthy inclusion, we reckon. Despite his great feats, there is no picture available of him on this database and thus, a picture of the Kings XI owner will have to do.
10. Sunil Narine
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Sunil Narine is a slightly controversial selection considering his bowling action is under scrutiny. Still, despite all of that, he topped the wicket-taking charts with 12 wickets at an average of just 8.83. Narine will now have to go through the whole rigmarole of having his action scrutinised, and if this make-believe team were to play, he wouldn’t be allowed to bowl. Still, leaving him out simply seems wrong.
11. Aizaz Cheema
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Aizaz Cheema was a great bowler for Lahore Lions during the competition. He ended as the second-highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps at an average of 16.00. His economy rate was on the high side with 8.80, but he earns his spot for being relatively consistent. He went just one match without taking a wicket and, despite twice conceding over 40 runs in his spell, he was pivotal in Lahore's qualifying campaign.
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