Proven match-winner scores 248 runs at an average of 62
England batsman Kevin Pietersen was today named as the men’s player of the tournament at the conclusion of the ICC World Twenty20 2010 at Kensington Oval, Barbados.
Pietersen was the unanimous choice of a select group of experts* following his sensational form that helped guide his side to the final of the event. The 29-year-old batted six innings in the tournament, scoring a total of 248 at an average of 62, including 47 in his team’s seven-wicket victory over Australia in today’s final.
During their deliberations, the members of the panel discussed several names, highlighting such players as Australia’s hero of the semi-final Michael Hussey and top wicket-taker Dirk Nannes, as well as Mahela Jayawardena of Sri Lanka, who scored more runs than any other player. But the panel decided Pietersen’s crucial contributions to his team’s victory were deserving of the player-of-the-tournament award.
Pietersen is the third man named player of the tournament at an ICC World Twenty20 event, following on from Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan, who won it in 2009 and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi, who picked up the award at the conclusion of the inaugural tournament in South Africa in 2007.
*The selection panel that chose the men’s ICC World Twenty20 player of the tournament consisted of:
Colin Croft (ex- West Indies fast bowler and cricket commentator)
Ravi Shastri (ex-India all-rounder and television commentator for the tournament with the ICC’s global broadcast partner ESPN STAR Sports)
Aleem Dar (Member of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires and Umpire of the Year 2009)
Alan Hurst (Emirates Elite Panel ICC match referee)
Andrew McGlashan (respected journalist for Cricinfo)
For more information on this event go to iccevents.yahoo.com.