Road Safety World Series 2021 – 4 Indians in best XI
As India Legends and Sri Lanka Legends gear up for the all-important final on Sunday (March 21) in Raipur, we focus on the best performers from the Road Safety World Series 2021 and form a collective playing XI for the tournament.
The Road Safety World Series, which was postponed from 2020 to this year due to the challenges posed amid the Covid-19 pandemic, has witnessed excellent performances with both bat and ball from cricket’s biggest names.
These internationally retired players have lit up the Road Safety World Series and turned the clock back in recent weeks, leaving the fans brimming with a sense of nostalgia and making the tournament more popular with their exploits.
So today, we talk of a set of eleven such legends and create a collective team for the competition.
Road Safety World Series 2021 XI
1. Sachin Tendulkar (c)
Sachin Tendulkar has been brilliant opening the batting for India Legends in Road Safety World Series 2021. The Master Blaster has looked in vintage touch, with 203 runs from 6 innings at a strike-rate of 140.00 to his name.
Tendulkar has made two half-centuries in the tournament and has led his team from the front. The great batsman’s form and captaincy have been commendable. Thus, he opens the batting and leads as well in a Road Safety World Series XI.
2. Virender Sehwag
To partner Tendulkar at the top, one can’t look beyond Virender Sehwag, who has been at his explosive best. Sehwag has made 204 runs from 6 innings while going at a fantastic strike-rate of 160.62.
The attacking right-hand batsman has struck two half-centuries in the competition, with his tournament tally including 28 fours and 6 sixes. Sehwag is one of the key reasons why India Legends are in the final.
3. Tillakaratne Dilshan
Tillakaratne Dilshan, the Sri Lanka Legends captain, has been a consistent performer for his team in the Road Safety World Series 2021. The aggressive right-hand batsman has made 250 runs from his 7 innings at a strike-rate of 138.88 while averaging 50.00.
Dilshan has made two half-centuries in the tournament and has struck the ball to the boundary 45 times, including an astonishing 44 fours and surprisingly, just a standalone six.
Besides his batting exploits, Dilshan has chipped in quite nicely with his off-spinners and has taken 12 wickets while bowling at an economy of just 5.87.
4. Upul Tharanga (wk)
Upul Tharanga has been a very consistent batsman for Sri Lanka Legends and has shown decent acumen with the gloves behind the stumps.
The left-hand batsman has made 224 runs with the bat at a strike-rate of 139.13, while averaging a whopping 224.00 as he has been out only once in his 5 innings of the competition.
Tharanga’s fantastic form with the bat, along with his good performance with the gloves, makes him an ideal fit in the middle-order of Road Safety World Series 2021.
5. Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen, the England Legends batsman, featured only 5 times in the tournament but he showed there is still some cricket left in him.
Pietersen batted magnificently for his 177 runs, which came at a whopping strike-rate of 186.31.
Pietersen blazed his willow for one 50+ score in the competition – his best score of 75 versus India Legends – and struck 20 fours & 9 sixes.
6. Yuvraj Singh
India Legends’ Yuvraj Singh has played his part in the team’s successful run for the tournament so far. Yuvraj has been in good six-hitting form, especially against the spinners.
The left-hander has hit four consecutive maximums in an over on two occasions – once against South Africa Legends and the other versus West Indies Legends.
Yuvraj’s tally for the tournament – 134 runs at a strike-rate of 183.56 – includes 6 fours and 13 sixes. He is an ideal No.6 in this team.
7. Irfan Pathan
The all-round class of Irfan Pathan makes him an ideal pick for No.7. Pathan. Pathan has been reasonably good with the ball and taken 5 wickets while going at 8.73 runs per over. But it is his batting form that has got him the nod among other candidates.
Pathan has made 118 runs at a strike-rate of 181.53, including two half-centuries. The 36-year-old has been fantastic lower down the order and smashed 10 fours, 8 sixes in the tournament. At No.7, you need an option who can handle the willow comfortably. And Pathan fits this bill perfectly.
8. Monty Panesar
England Legends’ left-arm spinner Monty Panesar was fantastic during his stay in the competition. Panesar featured in 5 matches and took 8 wickets, while delivering his overs at an economy rate of just 5.15.
Panesar’s tally included quality spells of 4/26 and 3/15 against Sri Lanka Legends and India Legends respectively. He didn’t let anyone enjoy a wood over him by mixing the away spinner and his arm-ball perfectly.
9. Rangana Herath
Sri Lanka Legends’ left-arm spinner Rangana Herath has been at his incisive best through the Road Safety World Series 2021. Herath has taken 7 wickets from his 6 innings and gone for only 5.52 runs per over in the tournament.
Herath’s exploits have been influential to Sri Lanka Legends’ reaching the final. The willy old fox makes for an ideal second specialist spinner in this line-up.
10. Nuwan Kulasekara
Nuwan Kulasekara, the Sri Lanka Legends paceman, has been one of the best bowlers on show in the Road Safety World Series 2021. Kulasekara has taken 7 wickets from his 5 innings and gone at only 5.32 runs per over in the tournament.
Kulasekara’s ability to move the ball has helped him retain ascendancy over most batsmen in the competition. He is one of the two specialist seamers in the Road Safety World Series 2021 XI.
11. Tino Best
Last but certainly not the least is West Indies Legends pacer Tino Best. Best bowled very well through his team’s campaign and ended the competition with 7 wickets from 6 innings, while going at only 6.78 runs per over.
Best was key to West Indies Legends’ run till the semi-final in the Road Safety World Series 2021 and he rounds off the competition XI.
*All stats updated till Semi-Final 2
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