Matt Floyd picks out his Team of the Week in world cricket
Wednesday 29 March 2017 12:24, UK
Who have been the standout performers in world cricket this week? Sky Sports' Matt Floyd picks our team of the week...
This week's team will want to play on a dry, turning track as there are no less than four spin options featuring, along with two two genuine out-and-out quicks.
Do you agree with our team? And who was the MVP from the XI this week? Tweet us @SkyCricket...
1) Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh)
In scoring his eighth ODI century in the win over Sri Lanka in Dambulla, he also became the first Bangladeshi batsman to score 10,000 international runs. Bangladesh are a different side when he gets them off to a flyer.
2) KL Rahul (India)
India's new Mr Consistent scored six half centuries in seven innings against Australia. His runs meant the home side were able to get away with the slender contributions from Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli during the series.
3) Steve Smith (Australia)
He may feel his side missed opportunities for a famous series win in India but his batting has been supreme. The fourth Test in Dharamsala saw him hit his third century of the tour. Unquestionably the best Test batsman in the world right now.
4) Kane Williamson (New Zealand) - Capt
It was a strange South Africa series for Williamson, with two big hundreds sandwiching two failures in Wellington. The 176 in the third Test in Hamilton was a quality knock and would have probably set up a series levelling win, had the rain not intervened.
5) Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)
Helped Bangladesh achieve their highest ODI score against a higher-ranked team away from home with his run-a-ball 72 in that Dambulla win, and also chipped in with a wicket. Did you know Shakib is currently the No 1 ranked allrounder across all three formats?
6) Quinton de Kock (South Africa) - Wkt
Showed his toughness in Hamilton by playing through the pain of a damaged finger tendon to score 90. Also took five catches in New Zealand's first innings for good measure.
7) Ravindra Jadeja (India)
Without Kohli in the crucial final Test in Dharamsala, India needed their big players to perform and Jadeja did exactly that, with bat and ball. His spat with Matthew Wade was another example of how he seems to get under the skin of the opposition.
8) Pat Cummins (Australia)
Bowled with real pace and hostility in his first Test since 2011 and certainly deserved more than his four wickets. On the bouncy tracks in Australia, he could be a big dangerman for England in the Ashes this winter.
9) Umesh Yadav (India)
An unsung hero of India's summer, he has frequently outbowled the opposition's fast men. Took five more important wickets in the final Test against the Aussies.
10) Nathan Lyon (Australia)
A second five-wicket haul of the series in Dharamsala gave him 19 in all for the series, a good effort for his side. In fact, he and Steve O'Keefe took 38 wickets between them, one more than Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar did in England's successful tour of India in 2012.
11) Kuldeep Yadav (India)
What a debut for India's new spin sensation as he turned Australia's first innings on it's head. The deliveries the left-arm spinner bowled to get David Warner, Peter Handscomb and Glenn Maxwell were all jaffas. I can't wait to see him bowl again!
