Road Safety World Series 2021: Team of the Tournament

Despite none of the legends being at the right side of the age, they showed that the fire of competition burns within them with the same intensity as it used to during their heydays. After two weeks of the most gripping and enthralling action, the Road Safety World Series came down to a battle between two most dominant sides of the tournament: India and Sri Lanka, where the former won by 14 runs to claim the inaugural title to their name.

With the majestic Tendulkar straight drive, Sehwag’s characteristic aggression, Yuvraj’s flourishing drives, Pathan brothers’ magic, Dilshan’s dil-scoop, Lara’s rollicking stroke-play, Johnty Rhodes’ cracking direct hits, Panesar’s parsimony, Herath’s guile, the series became a virtual gateway for the fanatics to transport themselves into the past and soak themselves in nostalgia. There were more than a handful of such moments of brilliance as the legends of the game stepped out to promote a noble cause of raising road safety awareness.

Team of the tournament from Road Safety World Series

Tillakaratne Dishan (Sri Lanka Legends)

Dilshan was at his best at the top as he plundered runs with his trademark nonchalance and it rarely felt that he has been away from the game. Such was his all-round brilliance that the 44-year-old finished not merely as the top-scorer of the tournament (271 runs at 45.16, strike rate 136.86) but even the leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets in 8 matches at an average of 11.50, the second-best, behind Nuwan Kulasekara’s 11.29. He deservedly claimed the Player of the Tournament award to his credit.

Sachin Tendulkar (India Legends)

There is no looking beyond the Master Blaster when it comes to batsmanship, and even at 46, Tendulkar continued to be amongst the runs, finishing amongst the leading run-getters of the tournament. His scores in the resumed edition read 33*, 9, 60, 65, and 30, as he totaled 233 runs at an average and strike rate of 38.83 and 138.69 respectively, finishing only behind Dilshan and Upul Tharanga.

Yuvraj Singh (India Legends) 

Yuvraj Singh rewound the clock in the tournament against South Africa Legends, when he smacked 52 from merely 22, including 7 sixes, four of which were consecutive. He followed that with a 20-ball 49 against West Indies: an innings laced with 6 sixes, three consecutive; and a 41-ball 60 in the final against Sri Lanka. Yuvraj, apart from taking four wickets, smacked most sixes in the tournament (17) and amassed 204 runs at a staggering average and strike rate of 64.66 and 170.17, respectively.

Kevin Pietersen (England Legends)

The skipper of the new entrants England Legends, Kevin Pietersen, was in top-notch form and accumulated 177 runs from 5 innings at a healthy average of 35.40 and a scintillating strike rate of 186.32, the best for any batsman in the tournament. His finest show came against India Legends, when he bludgeoned 75 off just 37 deliveries, featuring six fours and five maximums, in a nerve-sapping game that England won by 6 runs. Pietersen’s 9 sixes were the third-most in the tournament, behind Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan (10).

Yusuf Pathan (India Legends)

Yusuf Pathan was the latest addition to the India Legends after the Baroda all-rounder announced retirement from professional cricket in February. Pathan’s brute force has not diminished as yet and the same was evident during his knocks against West Indies (37 from 20) and Sri Lanka (62 from 36) in the summit clash. In what was a magnificent all-round display, he scored 139 runs in 4 innings at 69.50 and a strike rate of 171.60, and ended as the second-highest wicket-taker, bagging 9 wickets at an incredible strike rate of 8.2 (best in the tournament) and an economy of 7.92.

Brian Lara (West Indies Legends)

In an age-defying display, Brian Lara lit up the tournament through some excellent woodwork and aggressive batting. While West Indies Legends had a mixed bag of a tournament, winning three and losing as many before finally exiting after losing the first semifinal against India Legends, Lara ensured that he had a fruitful tournament with the bat. He accumulated 154 runs at 38.50 in 6 innings, remained unbeaten twice, with his scores reading 53*, 31*, 3, and 46.

Irfan Pathan (India Legends)

Having set the league alight last year against Sri Lanka Legends, when his unbeaten 57 bailed out India and took them to an improbable win, Irfan Pathan resumed this year with the same vigor, making an impact with both bat and ball and he nearly pulled off another heist against England through his sensational 61* from 34. Pathan finished with 126 runs from 3 innings and struck at a blistering 185.29, whereas with the ball, he claimed 7 wickets at an average of 27.85.

Tino Best (West Indies Legends)

Nearing 40, Tino Best is still able to clock in the 140-145 kph bracket with remarkable consistency. A robust lad with decent variations, Best was able to pose some serious questions with his searing pace and he finished the tournament with 7 wickets in 6 innings at 22.28. Despite bowling during the Powerplay and death, his economy of 6.78 is evidence of his control.

Nuwan Kulasekara (Sri Lanka Legends)

Nuwan Kulasekara showed immense control both with the new ball and during the slog overs. The 38-year-old was adjudged the Player of the Match for bagging a fifer against the South Africa Legends and he ended up as the lone bowler to bag a fifer in the tournament. Even though Kulasekara was not amongst the wickets as consistently and five of his total tally of 7 came in one match, it was his ability to control runs (economy rate of 6.53) that made him a standout bowler for his team. His figures in the tournament read 0/23, 2/13, 0/17, 0/1, and 5/25.

Monty Panesar (England Legends)

Monty Panesar was the most impactful and frugal spinner of the tournament. His most productive performance came against India Legends (3/15) and Sri Lanka Legends (4/25). He ended the league with 8 wickets in 5 innings at an average of 12.25 – fourth-best in the tournament – and an incredible economy rate of 5.15 – best for any bowler who bowled more than 10 overs in the tournament.

Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka Legends)

Rangana Herath was at his economical best (5.15) in the tournament, finishing with 8 wickets in 5 innings at an average and strike rate of 15.87 and 14.2, respectively. He claimed 2 wickets, giving away merely 5 runs last year against Australia Legends, a game that Sri Lanka opened their account of wins with. In the resumed edition, Herath’s figures read 2/11, 2/17, 0/29, 1/11.