As the India Champions were crowned the World Championship of Legends winners after beating Pakistan five wickets in a pulsating finale on Saturday, their skipper Yuvraj Singh picked his all-time XI. Yuvraj, who himself remains one of the most decorated cricketers the game has ever seen, made some understandable picks as he named his XI. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma made the cut among Indian batters.
He started with Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting as the opening batters while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli came in at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots respectively. At No. 5, Yuvraj picked AB de Villiers, followed by Adam Gilchrist as the specialist wicket-keeper at No. 6.
At No. 7, Yuvraj went with Australian spin-bowling legend Shane Warne while Muttiah Muralitharan came in at No. 8 spot. In the pace department, Glenn McGrath and Wasim Akram filled the No. 9 and No. 10 roles while former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was a pick at the No. 11 spot.
When asked to name a special No. 12 player, Yuvraj picked himself in the spot.
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Yuvraj Singh’s All-Time XI: Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Andre Flintoff, Shane Warne, Mutttiah Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram. Yuvraj Singh (12th man)
As for the final, the Yuvraj-led side showcased their dominance in the competition and secured the coveted title in a match that went down to the wire as two teams fought hard. Pakistan Champions, opting to bat first after winning the toss, posted a competitive total of 156/6 in 20 overs.
Kamran Akmal (24 off 19) and Maqsood (21 off 12) gave the team a solid start, but regular wickets kept the scoring in check.
The standout performer was Shoaib Malik, who scored a crucial 41 off 36 balls, anchoring the innings. Captain Younis Khan failed to make a mark as he was clean bowled by Irfan Pathan for 7. The middle-order collapsed and Misbah-ul-Haq was retired hurt after a brisk 18, late contributions from Sohail Tanvir (19* off 9) ensured Pakistan posted a respectable score.
Indian bowlers, led by Anureet Singh who claimed three wickets with support from Vinay Kumar, Pawan Negi and Irfan Pathan (one wicket each) were instrumental in containing Pakistan’s batting lineup.
In response, India Champions started their run chase with intent. Despite losing Robin Uthappa (10) early, Ambati Rayudu’s explosive 50 off 30 balls set the foundation for the chase for the Men in Blue.
Suresh Raina too departed cheaply for 4 in the same over, helping Pakistan make a comeback. But a strong partnership between Rayudu and Gurkeerat Singh Maan (34 off 33) kept India on track.
Rayudu and Mann also departed in a space of 10 runs but the momentum stayed firmly in India’s favour with Yusuf Pathan’s blistering 30 off 16 balls before the latter was dismissed in the penultimate over.
With captain Yuvraj Singh (15*) and Irfan Pathan (5*) at the crease, India sealed the win, finishing at 159 for 5 in 19.1 overs.
With IANS Inputs
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