Former Pakistan fast-bowler Shoaib Akhtar is not happy with the way T20I Team of the Decade was selected by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Visibly upset, in a video posted, the legendary speedster lashed out at ICC accusing them of choosing "IPL XI of the decade and not world XI". He made it out clear that ICC overlooked Pakistan players in the finalising the star-studded line up of T20I Team of the Decade.
The ICC on Sunday selected the T20 team of the decade, in which former India cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been named captain and four Indian players have also been included in this team. However, none of the players from Pakistan are named in the team consisting of some mega superstars of the shortest format.
In the ICC's T20 team of the decade, India's opening batsman Rohit Sharma and West Indies legend Chris Gayle have been selected as openers. At number three is current captain Aaron Finch. Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli has been placed at the fourth place in this playing XI.
The other batsmen included in the team include AB de Villiers of South Africa, Glenn Maxwell of Australia and Kieron Pollard of West Indies. Talking about the bowling department, it includes Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka and Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan, besides Jaspreet Bumrah.
"They did not pick a single player from Pakistan in the team. We don’t need your (ICC) T20I Team of the Decade because you announced the IPL team, not a world cricket team,” Akhtar said on his official YouTube channel.
“I think ICC forgot that Pakistan is also a member of ICC and they also play T20I cricket. They did not pick Babar Azam, who is currently the number one batsman in the ICC T20I rankings," said Akhtar in the video.
ICC's T20I Team of the Decade: Rohit Sharma, Chris Gayle, Aaron Finch, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Kieron Pollard, Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga