Saim Ayub selected as opener in ICC Men’s ODI ‘Team of the Year’

DUBAI: Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf have been named in the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s recently announced Men’s ODI ‘Teams of the Year’ for 2024.

Saim Ayub was chosen as an opening batsman in the ICC’s playing XI for his exceptional performance during the year: 9 matches, 515 runs, a highest score of 113 not out, an average of 64.37, a strike rate of 105.53, 3 centuries, and 1 half-century.

The ICC noted, “Saim only debuted in November, but arrived immediately, scoring a combined 125 runs from three One-Day Internationals in Australia, before scoring a maiden ODI ton in Zimbabwe shortly after.”

Saim Ayub is joined as an opener by Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

Interestingly, ICC chose its playing XI from four countries only: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Afghanistan.

Sri Lanka crowded the team with four players, while three players each from Pakistan and Afghanistan joined the club with the remaining one player taken from West Indies.

Unlucky for India that none of their players could make it to the ICC ODI ‘Team of the Year.’ 

Other players from Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf were taken as pacers.

Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka has been named captain of the team. Other players include Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar.

Sri Lankan players Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, and West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford complete the lineup. 

In the ICC Test ‘Team of the Year,’ Australia’s Pat Cummins retains the captaincy for the second consecutive year. The team includes three players from India — Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja — and four from England — Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, and Jamie Smith. 

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Matt Henry also feature in the lineup. However, no Pakistani players were included in the Test team.