Wasim Akram to lead bowling attack in Dilshan’s Best ODI XI

ISLAMABAD – Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Tillakaratne Dilshan has picked 'Sultan of Swing' Wasim Akram as the only Pakistani to lead the bowling attack in his best ODI XI.

He picked the line-up from among players he played with or against during his career.

Dilshan featured in 87 Tests, 330 ODIs and 80 Twenty20 Internationals (T20I) matches for Sri Lanka, where he scored 5492, 10290 and 1889 runs, respectively. He also bagged 154 wickets over the course of his career.

“What do I say about him? He’s one of the greatest left-arm bowlers in the game. He could swing the ball and he had the best yorker of those days. I pick him over Glenn McGrath because he can swing the ball,” he told ESPNcricinfo as quoted by cricketpakistan.com.pk.

Wasim played 104 Test matches for Pakistan, bagging 414 wickets at an average of 23.6, and 356 ODIs capturing 502 wickets at 23.5.

The 43-year-old chose fellow Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya and Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar to open the innings.

He packed the middle-order with some of the greatest batsmen of all-time, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene, Ricky Ponting, while South Africa’s all-rounder Jacques Kallis and wicketkeeper-batsman AB de Villiers were also included in the lineup.

Dilshan also picked Windies former pacer Courtney Walsh, legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia’s finest leg-spinner Shane Warne.

Dilshan’s ODI-XI: Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Mahela Jayawardene, Ricky Ponting (c), Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wk), Wasim Akram, Courtney Walsh, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne.