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Smith, Pollock to captain World XI,
Shoaib Akhtar and Afridi in elite squads
 South
Africans Graeme Smith and Shaun Pollock will lead the World Test and
one-day teams in the Super Series in Australia in October, the
International Cricket Council (ICC) announced here on Tuesday.
Smith will lead the ICC World XI in the six-day Test against the
Australians at the Sydney Cricket Ground from October 14-19, while
Pollock will skipper the international team for three one-dayers against
Australia at Melbourne’s Docklands stadium on October 5, 7 and 9.
Selectors chose the greatest contemporary cricketers in the two world
teams, including England’s Andrew Flintoff, West Indies’ Brian Lara,
South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, India’s Sachin Tendulkar, Sri Lanka’s
Muttiah Muralitharan, Steve Harmison of England and Pakistan’s Shoaib
Akhtar.
The squads also include outstanding world players: India’s Virender
Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen of England, New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori, Kumar
Sangakkara of Sri Lanka and South Africa’s Mark Boucher. Sunil Gavaskar,
the record-breaking former Indian captain who chaired the selection
panel, said that the ICC World XI sides would put Australia under
pressure to maintain its dominant home record.
West Indies captain Richie Richardson was the last skipper to leave
Australia victorious in both Test and ODI encounters in 1992-93. “This
is the first time for decades that the greatest players from the rest of
the world have combined their talents, and I expect them to put
Australia under real pressure,” Gavaskar said in an ICC statement.
“Australia will be looking to regroup after the intensity of the Ashes
series in England, but I dont think the cricket will be any easier for
them against these World XI sides,” Gavaskar said. “England has shown up
fault lines in Australias performances and I know John Wright, Graeme
Smith and Shaun Pollock will be eager to capitalise on that.”
Former Indian coach John Wright will coach the ICC World XI teams, with
Goolam Rajah of South Africa acting as team manager and Englands Kirk
Russell the team physiotherapist. India’s Rahul Dravid will be Smiths
vice-captain in the Test squad and Tendulkar will be Pollocks deputy in
the ODI squad. ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said selectors had
picked two squads of superb players who would test Australia to the
limit.
“There are no weak links in either of these squads; everywhere you look
there is an outstanding player whose talent enriches the game,” Speed
said in the statement. “I firmly believe that Sunil and his co-selectors
have chosen wisely in making their choices and have given Graeme Smith
and Shaun Pollock an enviable number of options to cover all match
circumstances.”
Among the selectors who decided on the world lineups were Mike Atherton,
Richard Hadlee, Clive Lloyd, Jonty Rhodes and Aravinda de Silva.
South Africa have six players across both squads, England and India
three, Sri Lanka and Pakistan two, West Indies and New Zealand have one
each. The selectors took into account the players overall career records
in both Test and ODI cricket, their form in both Test and ODI cricket
over the past 12 months and their overall playing records against
Australia and their performances against the world champions in
Australia, the statement said.
Those omitted from the Test squad were Michael Vaughan, Anil Kumble,
Inzamamul Haq, Younis Khan, Makhaya Ntini, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and
Brendon McCullum.
While among those to miss out in the ODI squad were Inzamamul Haq, Rahul
Dravid, Abdul Razzaq, Chris Gayle, Steve Harmison and Brendon McCullum.
Combined prizemoney and match payments for the ODI series will be $1.254
million, while the total money available for the Super Test will be
$1.39 million. The ICC has accorded the matches official Test and ODI
status.
Teams:
World XI Test squad: Shoaib Akhtar (PAK), Mark Boucher (RSA), Rahul
Dravid (IND), Andrew Flintoff (ENG), Steve Harmison (ENG), Brian Lara
(WIN), Jacques Kallis (RSA), Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI), Shaun Pollock (RSA),
Virender Sehwag (IND) Graeme Smith (RSA, captain), Sachin Tendulkar
(IND), Daniel Vettori (NZL).
World XI one-day squad: Shahid Afridi (PAK), Shoaib Akhtar (PAK),
Herschelle Gibbs (RSA), Andrew Flintoff (ENG), Jacques Kallis (RSA),
Brian Lara (WIN), Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI), Makhaya Ntini (RSA), Kevin
Pietersen (ENG), Shaun Pollock (RSA, captain), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri),
Virender Sehwag (IND), Sachin Tendulkar (IND), Daniel Vettori (NZL).
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