Saeed Ajmal. -Photo by AFP

COLOMBO: Pakistan’s spinner Saeed Ajmal was named in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) team of the World Twenty20 tournament on Monday, a day after West Indies beat hosts Sri Lanka to win the title.

A five-member ICC panel selected three Sri Lankan players and two each from the new champions and Australia in the 11-man team, the governing body said in a statement.

Pakistan were knocked out of the tournament after a semi-final defeat against Sri Lanka.

Outgoing Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene was named skipper a day after  he announced his decision to give up the captaincy after his side lost by 36 runs on Sunday, Sri Lanka's fourth successive defeat in a World Cup final, in front of a disappointed full house at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Chris Gayle and all-rounder Shane Watson, the player of the tournament, were named openers while India's Virat Kohli, Jayawardene, England's Luke Wright and explosive West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels filled up the middle-order slots.

Young Australian seamer Mitchell Starc and limited-overs specialist Lasith Malinga were the two fast bowlers in the team, while Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka was named as the other slow bowler.

Former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum was selected as the wicket-keeper, while South Africa were the only major cricketing nation without a representative in the team.

Team:

Chris Gayle (West Indies), Shane Watson (Australia), Virat Kohli (India), Mahela Jayawardena (Sri Lanka - captain), Luke Wright (England), Brendon McCullum (New Zealand), Marlon Samuels (West Indies), Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan), Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka)

Opinion

A long week

A long week

There’s some wariness about the excitement surrounding this moment of international glory.

Editorial

Unlearnt lessons
Updated 28 Apr, 2026

Unlearnt lessons

THE US is undoubtedly the world’s top military and economic power at this time. Yet as the Iran quagmire has ...
Solar vision?
28 Apr, 2026

Solar vision?

THE recent imposition of certain regulatory requirements for small-scale solar systems, followed by the reversal of...
Breaking malaria’s grip
28 Apr, 2026

Breaking malaria’s grip

FOR the first time in decades, defeating malaria in our lifetime is possible, according to WHO. Yet in Pakistan,...
Pathways to peace
Updated 27 Apr, 2026

Pathways to peace

NEGOTIATIONS to hammer out the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement took nearly two years before a breakthrough was achieved....
Food-insecure nation
27 Apr, 2026

Food-insecure nation

A NEW UN-backed report has listed Pakistan among 10 countries where acute food insecurity is most concentrated. This...
Migration toll
27 Apr, 2026

Migration toll

THE world should not be deceived by a global migration count lower than the highest annual statistics on record —...