Shahid Afridi in ICC's team of the World Cup

E-Paper | June 15, 2026

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Afridi was inspirational with the ball. -Photo by AFP

MUMBAI: World Cup runners-up Sri Lanka contributed four players and champions India just three to the International Cricket Council's team of the tournament announced on Sunday.

India defeated fellow tournament co-hosts Sri Lanka by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni making a man-of-the-match winning 91 not out.

But the ICC's five-man panel of experts, looking at the World Cup as a whole, opted for Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara as skipper.

The other Sri Lankans in the team were dashing opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and veteran off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who made his final international appearance.

India's trio were Sachin Tendulkar, a World Cup winner at the sixth attempt, all-rounder Yuvraj Singh -- the man of the tournament -- and left-arm quick Zaheer Khan.

Khan was the tournament's joint most-successful bowler with 21 wickets alongside Pakistan leg-spinner and captain Shahid Afridi.

The global govering body's all-star XI was completed by the South Africa duo of batsman/keeper AB de Villiers and fast bowler Dale Steyn and Australia all-rounder Shane Watson.

ICC's team of the World Cup (in batting order):

Sachin Tendulkar (IND), Tillakaratne Dilshan (SRI), Kumar Sangakkara (SRI, capt/wkt), Mahela Jayawardene (SRI), AB de Villiers (RSA), Yuvraj Singh (IND), Shane Watson (AUS), Shahid Afridi (PAK), Dale Steyn (RSA), Zaheer Khan (IND), Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI)

12th man: Tim Southee (NZL)

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Dr. Asif Iqbal

Apr 03, 2011 08:25pm

Surprising. Pakistan Win ratio was better than that of Sri Lanka, but still 5 players have been selected from Lankan side as compared to just one from Paki side.

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Zeshan

Apr 04, 2011 12:08pm

Bias it is my friend. People are biased against Pakistan. The sooner we realize it the better.

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sharjeel

Apr 04, 2011 12:35pm

Afridi we love you............... and koi bt nae hota rehta hy har jeet game ka hissa hy.;.;.;.;.;.;

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Asad

Apr 04, 2011 02:11pm

How is this biased - which Pakistani player will replace who? I think all the individuals mentioned above are deserving to be in the ICC team. Fact is: this pakistani team didnt have a standout apart from Afridi - the team as a whole is good though. I would pick Malinga over Murali though.

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Arif

Apr 04, 2011 02:42pm

Afridi Bhai I sincerely hope that India's match against Pakistan was not fixed :(

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kamran

Apr 04, 2011 03:10pm

Bias who - despite not winning in semi we are treating our players as hero's ?? except afridi no one performed to be treated as hero Afridi on his own cant win match There is something wrong in our team misbah made no attempt to shot & get runs ?? he was more interested in keeping his wicket as if there were plenty overs remaining

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Madeeha

Apr 04, 2011 03:58pm

After match fixing scam, i do appreciate our team that they tried there best in the world cup and tried to be united as a team and gave good performance as much as they can. We should realise that they tried there best, obviously after losing from India and the World Cup they are disappointed but we should give them hope, for next world cup. Come on never giveup guys.

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Ayman

Apr 04, 2011 05:14pm

Pakistan lost the match due to Yonus and Misbah.They should retire from oneday .

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Apr 04, 2011 08:20pm

Despite we lost but congrats the way Pakistan fought the whole tournament...We should have realized that Younis is not getting better and can go for rest with some one else. The semi could be a win provided Younis was replaced by Ahmad and Misbah should have realized that he is playing to win the match for Pakistan not to protect his wicket (which he lost any ways) or draw it once more? I trust it was not a fix to keep the big chiefs happy to give another try to restore peace in South asia? We all know Peace and friendship can only work at equal levels...

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Arif

Apr 04, 2011 09:22pm

I agree with Dr. Asid Iqbal. There are five Sri lankans in the team. I would prefer Hashim Amla over Mahela jayawardene because he is more consistent. Also instead of Murali my choice would be Gream Swan.

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anand

Apr 04, 2011 10:26pm

Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan were part of the world-cup winning team and their affections for MS Dhoni are well known. They would never want to play under Kumara Sangakkara who cheats at the toss. Why would Shahid Afridi want to play under Sanga when he as captain vanquished the side Sanga was captaining? It is an insult to India that the captain of their world-cup winning team and no.1 test side and T20 World cup-winning team has not been chosen to lead the dream side. We proud Indians protest this decision of ICC. MS Dhoni has won 2011 World Cup, 2007 T20 World Cup and made India No.1 Test Side. All that Sanga knows is how to 'toss'. Winning a toss and winning a match are very different things.

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Javed

Apr 05, 2011 04:35am

Why we are so pessimist? Why do we think that the whole world is against us? Please be tolerant and try to live along with others. Stop blaming others for our own short-comings for God sake!!

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javed

Apr 05, 2011 04:44am

I will not happen that we will win everytime. Even the great Aussie has seen its downfall. We were not even at that stage to began with. I am happy at least 1 Pakistani is chosen. Remember only 1 player (Watson)selected from the great Australian team and none from WI, ENG, and NZ. We need to leave the policy of being crybaby. I think we are too used of the policy that: roney se shayed kuch mil jaye ga. Why we are so pessimist? Why do we think that the whole world is against us? Please be tolerant and try to live along with others. Stop blaming others for our own short-comings for God sake!!

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irfan

Apr 05, 2011 11:51am

Pakistan were lucky to be in semi finals.Had they been in group B,then they wud have beaten by bangladesh and pakistan wud have not even been in super 8 also

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saurabh singh

Apr 05, 2011 12:05pm

Why pakistani selectors drop shohab malik .i think he is one of the greatest batsman and good all rounder in pakistani cricket .his experienced sure couts alot and made strong the middle order line up.Also he has a good track record on indian subcontinent.Please reply

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vimal

Apr 06, 2011 05:54am

Happy to see Afridi included; he deserves it. However, he should refrain from being an “articulate” diplomat. He is a gifted uneducated sports person who is used to being buoyed by applauses in the arena of his performance. Getting carried away in front of a cheering crowd, to deliver anti-India tirade in a TV studio, is symptomatic of his performance needs. Both Indians and Pakistanis should be mature enough to cut little slack to this dimwit who is otherwise hugely talented.

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Harsh

Apr 06, 2011 08:58am

No it wasn't fixed. India played a shade better than Pakistan in cutting the flow of runs. The pitch was turning and it was difficult to score runs on it. Please give credit and honor to your players rather than doubting their honesty. Win and lose are part of game, please learn to accept it graciously.

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