Seven Indian cricketers in fray for ODI dream team

DUBAI - Seven Indian cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar, are among 48 players in the fray for the dream One-day international (ODI) team being selected to mark the 40th anniversary of ODI cricket.

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) official website is asking supporters from across the globe to select a dream team from a shortlist of 48 players and also pick their favourite game from a choice of 10 memorable matches.

Former captain Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag are the other two Indian batsmen whose names have been nominated for selection among eight openers for the first two batting slots in the dream team.

India’s World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev is in the running for the all-rounder’s slot while current skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be competing with seven others for the wicket-keeping position.

Harbhajan Singh and Anl Kumble, along with six others, will fight for the lone spinner in the dream team.

“Supporters can vote on www.icc-cricket.com until Jan 2 to make their selections. They can also send in their dream teams and favourite matches via www.facebook/cricketicc or www.twitter.com/cricketicc,” ICC said in a statement.

The names will be announced Jan 5 to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the first-ever ODI match between Australia and England.

“With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 now less than two months away, excitement and interest in the One-day format of the game will intensify. We know that fans will enjoy having the chance to remember some of the great games and great players to have played in ODI cricket during the past 40 years,” said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat.

“Cricket Australia will mark the 40th anniversary of ODI cricket with a number of events, including a reception with members of Australias first ODI team at Victorias Government House, during Melbournes Cricket Weekend Jan 14-16.

The Australian ODI team from 1971 will also be presented to the crowd during the innings break of the first ODI match of the series between Australia and England at the MCG Jan 16.

Greatest ODI team of all time (from)

Opening batsmen (2) - Saeed Anwar, Sourav Ganguly, Gordon Greenidge, Matthew Hayden, Sanath Jayasuriya, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Glenn Turner.

Middle-order batsmen (3) - Michael Bevan, Martin Crowe, Aravinda de Silva, Inzamam-ul Haq, Brian Lara, Javed Miandad, Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards.

All-rounder (1) - Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Andrew Flintoff, Richard Hadlee, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock.

Wicket-keeper (1) - Mark Boucher, M.S. Dhoni, Andy Flower, Adam Gilchrist, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Moin Khan, Alec Stewart, Kumar Sangakkara.

Fast bowlers (3) - Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, Chaminda Vaas, Waqar Younis.

Spinner (1) - Shahid Afridi, Carl Hooper, Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralidaran, Saqlain Mushtaq, Harbhajan Singh, Shane Warne, Daniel Vettori.