CSA congratulates South African cricketers on selection in ICC's ODI team of the Year

Johannesburg: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has congratulated AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir for finding a place in the ICC's ODI team of the Year for 2015.

This is the first time De Villiers has been named as the captain and the fourth time he has made the select XI in the past five years. He only missed out in 2012.

Amla was previously selected for the team in 2013, while Tahir has made his debut.

"Congratulations to AB, Hashim and Imran on their selection to the ICC ODI team," said CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat.

"They continue to make the nation proud and AB deserves a special mention for what he has achieved over the past year both as a player and as a leader. He is truly a global icon of the game and I have no doubt that his selection will be cheered the world over," he added.

However, none of the South African players figured in the Test team of the Year, despite them being the World No. 1 Test team.

This is because the ICC teams are selected largely on the basis of statistics and South Africa played only five Test matches in the period under review between September 18, 2014 to September 13, 2015.

Two of those Test matches against Bangladesh were badly affected by the weather. Thus, South Africa played only three-Test series against the West Indies.

Both De Villiers and Amla averaged more than 100 in that series, while Dale Steyn took 13 wickets at 22/15. Despite this achievement, the lack of games brings to an end a remarkable sequence by Steyn stretching back to 2008 when he was first named in the ICC Test team and continued to be selected for a record seven years in a row.

ICC Test XI for 2015: Alastair Cook (England, capt), David Warner (Australia), Kane Williamson (NZ), Younis Khan (Pakistan), Steve Smith (Australia), Joe Root (England), Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan), Stuart Broad (England), Trent Boult (NZ), Yasir Shah (Pakistan), Josh Hazlewood (Australia). 12th man: Ravichandran Ashwin (India).

ICC ODI XI for 2015: AB de Villiers (SA, captain), Hashim Amla (SA), Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL), Kumar Sangakkara (SL, wicketkeeper), Steve Smith (Australia), Ross Taylor (NZ), Trent Boult (NZ), Mohammed Shami (India), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh), Imran Tahir (SA). 12th man: Joe Root (England).