Kohli, Suryakumar named in “Most Valued Team” of 2022 T20 World Cup

India’s Virat Kohli (R) plays a shot as England’s wicketkeeper and captain Jos Buttler looks on during the ICC men’s Twenty20 World Cup 2022 semi-final cricket match between England and India at The Adelaide Oval in Adelaide on November 10, 2022.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Tournament’s leading run-getters Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav were on Monday named in the “Most Valuable Team” of ICC 2022 T20 World Cup.

Indian superstar Kohli ended as the tournament’s most prolific batter with 296 runs at a stunning average of 98.66.

Kohli kick-started his campaign with a pivotal 82 not out against arch-rivals Pakistan to anchor his side to a heart-thumping final-ball four-wicket victory.

And further knocks of 64 not out against Bangladesh, 62 not out against the Netherlands, and 50 against England in the semi-finals helped round off an individual competition to savour for one of the greatest white-ball batters of the modern era.

Fellow Indian Suryakumar finished as the tournament’s third highest run-scorer with 239 runs overall.

Three half-centuries— 51 not out against the Netherlands in Sydney, 68 against South Africa in Perth, and 61 not out off just 25 balls against Zimbabwe in Melbourne— helped haul his side into the semi-finals as he scored at a staggering strike rate of 189.68 in his six innings.

Another Indian, Hardik Pandya was named as the 12th man of the side.

“Players from six different teams have been named in the Upstox Most Valuable Team of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022,” the ICC said in a statement a day after England won their second world title in the shortest format.

Captain, wicketkeeper, and opening batter Jos Buttler, fellow opener Alex Hales, and seamer Sam Curran all made the cut for England.

New Zealand star Glenn Phillips and Zimbabwe ace Sikandar Raza occupy the No.5 and 6 positions in the playing eleven. Phillips’ stunning century against Sri Lanka catapulted his team to a comfortable 65-run victory in Sydney.

Another innings of 62 against England helped him reach a total of 201 runs at an average of 40.20.

For Raza, 219 runs and 10 wickets, proved pivotal assets for Zimbabwe with both bat and ball.

He scored a polished 82 off his 48 balls in his country’s opening game against Ireland in Hobart, before further batting contributions against Scotland, Netherlands, and India— bolstered by a brilliant three for 25 as Zimbabwe stunned Pakistan in Perth— rounded off a tournament to remember.

Completing the middle order is Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan, who grabbed an impressive 11 wickets at an average of just 15.00.

And he was similarly impressed with the bat, striking a solid 92 runs at an average of 24.50 to help fire his side to the final in Melbourne.

Sam Curran and Anrich Nortje line up at No.8 and 9, with the former being crowned Player of the Tournament after a series of spellbinding bowling displays.

The left-arm seamer claimed remarkable figures of 3 for 12 off his four overs in the final after getting his tournament underway with a similarly scintillating five for 10 against Afghanistan.

Another bowler who starred was pace ace Nortje, who functioned as a vital weapon in South Africa’s armoury after finishing with a tournament-best average of just 8.54.

Nortje conceded just 94 runs while in the process of taking his 11 wickets as four scalps against both Bangladesh and Pakistan helped him become one of the competition’s most fearsome bowlers.

Rounding off the side at No.10 and 11 are fellow pace bowlers Mark Wood and Shaheen Shah Afridi, who took nine and 11 wickets respectively for England and Pakistan.

Despite being ruled out of the semi-finals and final through injury, Wood’s consistency throughout the Super 12s— spearheaded by three wickets against Afghanistan and Ireland— saw him finish the tournament with an average of just 12.00.

And for Afridi, who also suffered an unfortunate injury in Sunday’s final, his figures of four for 22 against Bangladesh and three for 14 against South Africa helped him emulate his new-ball heroics in last year’s tournament as Pakistan were narrowly denied in Melbourne.

Taking his place as the 12th man is Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who starred with both bat and ball by racking up 128 runs and eight wickets.

The dangerous middle-order ace blasted 63 against England in the semi-finals after also taking key wickets against Pakistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe throughout the Super 12s.

The Team in batting order: Alex Hales, Jos Buttler, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Glenn Phillips, Sikandar Raza, Shadab Khan, Sam Curran, Anrich Nortje, Mark Wood, Shaheen Shah Afridi. 12th man Hardik Pandya.