Three Pakistanis selected for ICC Test Team of the Year

Alastair Cook named captain of the Test side that includes 3 Pakistanis — Younis Khan, Sarfraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced its Test and One Day International (ODI) Teams of the Year 2015, which included three Pakistanis for the Test side but none for the limited-overs format.

Pakistani batsman Younis Khan, wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed and legspinner Yasir Shah were selected for the Test team, while no Pakistani player could make it to the ODI Team of the Year.

Alastair Cook was named as the captain of the Test side— his fourth selection and his second as captain. For England bowler Stuart Broad, it was the fifth time since 2009 that he was selected in the ICC Test Team of the Year.

New Zealand's Trent Boult and Australian Steven Smith were named in both the ODI and Test teams after prolific year across both formats.

Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman became the first ever player from his country to make it to the ODI Team of the Year.

The only other Asian to make it to the Test team was India's Ravichandran Ashwin, who was named as 12th man.

ICC Test Team of the Year 2015 (in batting order):

David Warner (Aus)
Alastair Cook (Eng) (captain)
Kane Williamson (NZ)
Younis Khan (Pak)
Steven Smith (Aus)
Joe Root (Eng)
Sarfraz Ahmed (Pak) (wicketkeeper)
Stuart Broad (Eng)
Trent Boult (NZ)
Yasir Shah (Pak)
Josh Hazlewood (Aus)
12th: Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind)


South Africa's AB de Villiers was selected in the ODI Team of the Year for the fourth time in five years and for the first time as captain. He was one of three Proteas players selected alongside Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir.

Kumar Sangakarra, who recently retired from international cricket, was selected as wicket-keeper and earned his fourth nomination alongside Sri Lanka team-mate Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was also previously selected three times in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

ICC ODI Team of the Year 2015:

Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL)
Hashim Amla (SA)
Kumar Sangakkara (SL) (wicketkeeper)
AB de Villiers (SA) (captain)
Steven Smith (Aus)
Ross Taylor (NZ)
Trent Boult (NZ)
Mohammed Shami (Ind)
Mitchell Starc (Aus)
Mustafizur Rahman (Bang)
Imran Tahir (SA)
12th: Joe Root (Eng)

The teams were chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by the ICC's Cricket Committee chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble, said a press release.

The qualification period ran from September 18th 2014 to September 13th 2015 and the selection panel included past greats of the world game including former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop, ex England batsman Mark Butcher, former Australia women's captain Belinda Clark and Mr. G. Viswanath, Deputy Editor of The Hindu & Sportstar, said the ICC press release.