No Pakistani player featured in ICC Test, ODI teams of the year

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced its Test and ODI Teams of the Year. But none of the Pakistan players could make it to either of the teams.

According to ICC, former Test stalwarts Rahul Dravid, Gary Kirsten and Kumar Sangakkara selected the sides based on players’ performances in the period from 14 September 2015 to 20 September 2016.

Pakistan is currently ranked 3rd in the ICC Test rankings, and 8th respectively in the ODI rankings.

Pakistan team made history in August this year when it topped the  ICC Test Team Rankings for the first time after 28 years.

That was the second time that Pakistan climbed to the number one position, the last time being 28-year-ago. Pakistan climbed to the top spot after the West Indies and India reached a draw in the four-match Test series.

England’s Alastair Cook has been named as captain of the ICC Test Team of the Year 2016, which includes four Englishmen, three Australians, and a player each from New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.

This is the third time Cook has been appointed captain of the Test side, while it the eighth time in nine years that Dale Steyn has been selected. Joe Root, David Warner and Kane Williamson have been chosen for the third successive year.

ICC Test Team of the Year 2016 (in batting order) is:

1.     David Warner (Australia)
2.     Alastair Cook (England) (captain)    
3.     Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
4.     Joe Root (England)
5.     Adam Voges (Australia)
6.     Jonny Bairstow (England) (wicketkeeper)
7.     Ben Stokes (England)
8.     R. Ashwin (India)
9.     Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
10.    Mitchell Starc (Australia)
11.    Dale Steyn (South Africa)
12.    Steve Smith (Australia)

It has been a case of third time for Virat Kohli who has been named as captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year, which includes three Australians, Indians, South Africans each, and one each from England and West Indies. De Villiers has been selected for the sixth time since 2010, while Starc has been picked up for the third time in four years.

Starc and his team-mate Warner are the only two players to have been selected in both the Test and ODI sides in 2016.

ICC ODI Team of the Year 2016 (in batting order) is:

1.     David Warner (Australia)
2.     Quinton de Kock (South Africa) (wicketkeeper)
3.     Rohit Sharma (India)
4.     Virat Kohli (India) (captain)
5.     AB de Villiers (South Africa)
6.     Jos Buttler (England)
7.     Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
8.     Ravindra Jadeja (India)
9.     Mitchell Starc (Australia)
10.    Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
11.    Sunil Narine (West Indies)
12.    Imran Tahir (South Africa)