The ICC has named five New Zealanders — one BLACKCAPS and four WHITE FERNS — in its official teams of the tournament for the men’s and women’s ICC World Twenty20 2016, which finished at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
The teams were chosen from the 400-plus players at the event by a select group of former players and tournament commentators who were given the task of picking a balanced side for all conditions, on the basis of performances in the tournament.
Having made his BLACKCAPS debut only in June 2015, Mitchell Santner's astounding first 10 months in top flight cricket continues with the 24-year old Hamilton allrounder named as the sole BLACKCAP in the men's team of the tournament.
His 10 wickets at an average of 11.40 and superb economy rank him in the tournament's top three bowlers, with Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan the only players to have claimed more victims.
Kiwi legspinner Ish Sodhi had a strong tournament too of course, likewise finishing with 10 wickets at 12.00.
WHITE FERNS captain Suzie Bates, allrounder Sophie Devine, wicket-taking machine Leigh Kasperek and top order powerhouse and keeper Rachel Priest all make the cut from the WHITE FERNS, who like the BLACKCAPS went unbeaten until heartbreak in the knockouts.
Despite being locked out of the Final, Kasperek and Devine finished as the two leading wicket-takers from the Women's World T20, from just five games.
Scot-turned-Kiwi Kasperek, like fellow offspin bowler Santner, has enjoyed a meteoric rise after making her WHITE FERNS debut this season.
Kasperek's nine wickets came at an average of just 10.11 while Devine's nine was just a shade behind at 10.55.
The West Indies' Deandra Dottin also finished in the top three with a haul of nine, from six games at 13.55.
Stylish WHITE FERNS captain Suzie Bates led from the front as the top run-scorer throughout the Group stages of the tournament, and ended with a tally of 183 from her five games at a strike rate of 111.58 — her innings of 82 against Ireland the runaway highest score by any woman at the event.
In the form of her life, it will doubtless remain scant consolation for the team leader, however, after the WHITE FERNS were edged in the Semi-Final by eventual champions the West Indies. There will be a chance to correct that in next year's ODI Women's World Cup.
Aggressive striker Sophie Devine was likewise among the top 10 run-getters in India with 120 at a strike rate of 137.93, one of the highest of the tournament; while keeper-batsman Rachel Priest was in the top dozen with 109 at 111.34 SR, to go with her sharp skills behind the wicket as the tournament's leading keeper (three catches and two stumpings).
ICC World Twenty20 2016 TEAMS OF THE TOURNAMENT
Women
Suzie Bates (New Zealand WHITE FERNS)
Charlotte Edwards (England)
Meg Lanning (Australia)
Stafanie Taylor (West Indies, captain)
Sophie Devine (New Zealand WHITE FERNS)
Rachel Priest (New Zealand WHITE FERNS, wicketkeeper)
Deandra Dottin (West Indies)
Megan Schutt (Australia)
Sune Luus (South Africa)
Leigh Kasperek (New Zealand WHITE FERNS)
Anya Shrubsole (England)
12th: Anam Amin (Pakistan)
Men
1. Jason Roy (England)
2. Quinton de Kock (South Africa, wicketkeeper)
3. Virat Kohli (India, captain)
4. Joe Root (England)
5. Jos Buttler (England)
6. Shane Watson (Australia)
7. Andre Russell (West Indies)
8. Mitchell Santner (New Zealand BLACKCAPS)
9. David Willey (England)
10. Samuel Badree (West Indies)
11. Ashish Nehra (India)
12th: Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)
While statistics were consulted, they were not the sole basis for selections in sides that particularly reflect the impression the WHITE FERNS made on the tournament.
Selection panel:
Geoff Allardice (ICC General Manager – Cricket, Chairman)
Ian Bishop (former West Indies fast bowler)
Nasser Hussain (former England captain)
Mel Jones (former Australia batsman)
Sanjay Manjrekar (former India batsman)
Lisa Sthalekar (former Australia allrounder)
