- Joined
- Aug 29, 2023
- Runs
- 32,459
I think Noman deserved a spot in that team... He has been sensational and has taken Pakistan to victory in almost every game along with Sajid Khan.
Just look at his bowling average...
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Our World Test Championship Team of the Tournament
The 2023-25 WTC preliminary matches are done, so we've put our selectors hats on to pick a best XI from the past last two years
Another two years of Test cricket is drawing to a close with the latest instalment of the World Test Championship delivering record crowds as well as batting and bowling feats, along with many incredible matches and series.
The cycle began with England's comeback to draw the 2023 Ashes 2-2, while Australia's come-from-behind 3-1 win over India in the final stages locked in the two WTC finalists and saw them win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
Pakistan also turned the tables on England in their 2-1 win after going down by an innings in the series opener, while South Africa sent their 'B' team to New Zealand due to a clash with their franchise tournament but then won seven Tests on the bounce to secure top spot in the standings and a date with Australia at Lord's from June 11-15.
This 'best XI' recognises those who have delivered both at home and away across the two-year period and rewards players for their consistency rather than just top run scorers and wicket takers.
For that reason, players like Ben Duckett, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon missed out in favour of others such as Matt Henry and Noman Ali, who boast better averages and strike rates but whose teams played fewer matches during the cycle.
Three players return from our last WTC Team of the Tournament – opener Usman Khawaja, Joe Root and captain Pat Cummins.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
M: 19 | Runs: 1798 | Ave: 52.88 | SR: 65.7 | 100s: 4 | 50s: 10 | HS: 214no
Opening up for our best XI is player who couldn't have announced his arrival on the world stage more emphatically over the past two years. Second only to Joe Root for runs scored during the 2023-25 WTC cycle, Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the way to becoming India's next mega star.
Making his international debuts in all three formats over the past 24 months after a breakout 2023 IPL campaign for Rajasthan Royals, the 23-year-old wunderkid put Test rivals on notice with an epic 171 on debut against the West Indies later that year. It was one of four centuries (two of those were doubles) for the dynamic left-hander, who left home aged 12 and moved to Mumbai to further his cricket dream, earning pocket money selling the popular pani puri deep-fried snack and sleeping in a tent until a coach took him under his wing.
Jaiswal saved his best for England, hitting double centuries in consecutive Tests in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot to help India to a commanding 4-1 series win along with player of the series honours. He also left Australian fans in awe last summer with a brilliant 161 in the second innings in Perth to set up India's only win of the tour, while his scores of 82 and 84 in front of record crowds Melbourne ensured the Boxing Day Test went down to the wire.
Usman Khawaja (Australia)
M: 19 | Runs: 1422 | Ave: 41.82 | SR: 44.9 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 6 | HS: 232
The Australian opener capped another consistent WTC cycle with a career-best 232 against Sri Lanka, putting his side on course for their first series win in the island nation in 14 years. Khawaja is one of three players to earn selection in consecutive cricket.com.au World Test Championship Team of the Tournaments, underlining his value to Australia's quest for back-to-back titles. Starting the two-year period alongside David Warner, the left-hander was a constant in a revolving opening partnership for the reigning champions as selectors tried no fewer than four others at the top of the order following Warner's retirement.
Khawaja began the cycle with an emotionally charged 141 and 65 at Edgbaston to set up an Aussie victory in the first Ashes Test and said in the aftermath it was his "favourite match ever" in his life. While his maiden double century earlier this year was the only other time he's reached three figures during the current WTC period, half-centuries at Lord's, Perth (against Pakistan) and the MCG (against India) all came in winning causes.
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
M: 11 | Runs: 1152 | Ave: 54.85 | SR: 54.1 | 100s: 5 | 50s: 4 | HS: 156
Kiwi run machine Williamson capped another consistent two-year cycle with a big hundred against England in Hamilton in the Black Caps' only win if the series. He also hit three tons in four innings against the second-string South African side that toured in February 2023, while he began the current WTC campaign with 104 away from home against Bangladesh.
Williamson made his 100th Test appearance during New Zealand's narrow loss to Australia in Christchurch and is closing in on becoming his country's first batter past the magical 10,000-run mark in the next WTC cycle. His superior average nudges Steve Smith (1324 runs at 41.37) out of the No.3 spot with it also Williamson's preferred position.
Joe Root (England)
M: 22 | Runs: 1968 | Ave: 54.66 | SR: 65.5 | 100s: 7 | 50s: 7 | HS: 262
Like a fine wine, the England champion just keeps getting better with age, finding a new lease on his batting under the Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes' 'Bazball' regime. Root's seven centuries were the most of any batter during the two-year cycle, finishing almost 200 clear of Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the run scorers tally for the second straight WTC campaign. The 34-year-old went past 13,000 Test runs during England's one-off clash with Zimbabwe last month with legends Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid now just a few hundred ahead of him on the all-time list.
Root hit centuries against all six of his opponents this WTC period, including twin tons in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's last year and a career-best 262 in their win over Pakistan in Multan in a Test record fourth-wicket stand of 454 with Harry Brook. Six of those tons came in 2024 alone, while the other was against Australia in the first Test of the 2023 Ashes. Having made the reverse ramp a feature of his 360-degree stroke play, the right-hander's strike rate has also reached a career-high mark of 65.5, making him the first batter picked in our XI for 2023-25.
Harry Brook (England)
M: 17 | Runs: 1463 | Ave: 50.44 | SR: 83.4 | 100s: 4 | 50s: 7 | HS: 317
Root's 'Bazball' partner in crime Harry Brook is next up in our star-studded side following a dominant two years that's seen him reach No.2 behind his teammate in the Test batter rankings. Three of his four centuries came away from home, headlined by a remarkable 317 in England's win over Pakistan in Multan, which was the only triple-century of the WTC cycle.
His two New Zealand hundreds late last year summed up the devastating brilliance of England's attacking ace; the visitors were 3-26 in the first Test and 3-45 in the second when he came to the middle and proceeded to change the course of the match, blasting 123 (115) and 171 (197) to help his side to a 2-1 series win.
Brook's strike rate got him the nod over Temba Bavuma despite averaging 10 runs fewer than the South African skipper – only opener Ben Duckett (84.3) has scored at a quicker rate than the England No.5 from batters to hit more than 200 runs during the WTC preliminary matches. Brook's runs also had a big impact on his team's fortunes with all four centuries coming in wins.
Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
M: 11 | Runs: 1123 | Ave: 62.38 | SR: 66.0 | 100s: 5 | 50s: 3 | HS: 182no
Another young gun who burst onto the world stage this WTC period as the leading Sri Lankan batter, keeping his side in the hunt for a spot in the final right until the dying stages of the tournament. Mendis began his Test career in 2022 as a bits-and-pieces number seven known best for his ambidextrous bowling but by the end of 2024 he'd reached 1000 runs in the same number of innings (13) as Bradman.
After earning a recall at the start of last year, the left-handed marked his return with a century in each innings of their huge win over Bangladesh in Sylhet. All up he hit five tons in 2024, with knocks of 113 against England in Manchester and 114 and 182no against the Kiwis in Galle. While he began the New Year with a quieter series in their loss to Australia, the 26-year-old is one of Sri Lanka's key men for the future. Mendis pips pace allrounders Ben Stokes (1007 runs and 16 wickets) and Mitch Marsh (823 runs and nine wickets) for the No.6 role in our best XI due to his superior average and his ability to go large with five centuries compared to the others one apiece, while his sheer weight of runs edges out Ravindra Jadeja despite the Indian superstar's 55 wickets.
Alex Carey (wk) (Australia)
M: 19 | Runs: 954 | Ave: 35.33 | SR: 63.6 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 5 | HS: 156 | Ct: 79 | St: 16
The Australian takes the gloves in our side after a sensational second half of the preliminary round. Not only did Carey finish with more than double the dismissals of any other keeper (New Zealand's Tom Blundell – 41), he also stepped up with the bat when his team needed. He regards his unbeaten 98 in Australia's tense three-wicket win over the Kiwis in Christchurch as his finest Test innings to date, while he finished the two-year period with a brilliant 156 against Sri Lanka in February.
His work behind the stumps, especially to spinner Nathan Lyon, was exceptional and sees him ranked ahead of fellow keepers Jamie Smith (32 dismissals) and Muhammad Rizwan (40) despite their higher batting averages. His total of 95 dismissals is the most ever in a single campaign from the three WTC cycles to date.
Pat Cummins (c) (Australia)
M: 17 | Wkts: 73 | Bowl ave: 24.54 | Bowl SR: 43.5 | Econ: 3.38 | 10WM: 1 | 5WI: 5 | BBI: 6-91
Runs: 516 | Bat ave: 21.50 | Bat SR: 59.5 | 50s: 1 | HS: 64no
Cummins earns the captain's armband for our second straight Team of the Tournament after leading his side to consecutive WTC deciders. The right-armer was the cycle's second most prolific bowler behind Indian ace Jasprit Bumrah (77 wickets) and was Australia's leading wicket taker in their series wins over Pakistan and India. He began the campaign with a defining 44no to guide Australia home at Edgbaston, contributing another valuable hand of 32no to edge his side over the line against the Kiwis in Christchurch. Scores of 49 and 41 also helped Australia gain the upper hand in their memorable Boxing Day Test win over India to take the lead in the Border-Gavaskar series.
His leadership, as well as his crucial runs from No.8, helped him get the nod over teammates Mitchell Starc (72 wickets at 27.27) and Josh Hazlewood (57 at 19.68). Cummins' best match was his 10-97 in the 2023 Boxing Day Test win over Pakistan, while he also took five-wicket hauls in wins over Pakistan in Sydney and India in Adelaide, as well a 6-91 in the first innings of their defeat to England in Leeds.
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
M: 15 | Wkts: 77 | Ave: 15.09 | SR: 30.7 | Econ: 2.95 | 5WI: 5 | BBI: 6-45 | BBM: 9-91
Fresh off one of the greatest calendar years by a bowler ever, the Indian superstar is first picked in our best XI with the most wickets by a fast bowler in any of the three WTC campaigns to date. Bumrah took 71 wickets alone in 2024, a feat unmatched since Dale Steyn claimed 74 scalps in 2008.
The 31-year-old cleaned up Australia with 32 wickets in one of the greatest tours by a visiting quick of all-time and who knows if the Border-Gavaskar Trophy would have headed home with India had he been able to bowl in the second innings at the SCG. Bumrah also destroyed England with 19 poles in four Tests on unhelpful home surfaces as every other seamer went around the park and he topped the series tally with 12 wickets in two away Tests against WTC ladder-leaders South Africa.
Matt Henry (New Zealand)
M: 9 | Wkts: 48 | Ave: 18.58 | SR: 33.9 | Econ: 3.28 | 5WI: 3 | BBI: 7-67 | BBM: 9-161
Having started his career in the shadows Black Caps greats Trent Boult and Tim Southee, Henry has taken over the mantle as leader of the Kiwi attack this WTC cycle. The right-armer took 29 wickets at 27.65 in the previous two-year period but went to another level in 2023-25 with standout performances against all New Zealand's big opponents – South Africa, Australia, India and England.
Henry was NZ's best bowler in home series against Australia and England but his crowning moment came in Bengaluru when he took 5-15 to skittle India for just 46, setting the tone for their astonishing 3-0 series sweep. He pips England's Gus Atkinson (52 wickets at 22.15) and South Africa's Kagiso Rabada (47 at 19.97) for the third spot in our pace attack, with his 48 poles coming at both a better average and strike rate.
Noman Ali (Pakistan)
M: 6 | Wkts: 46 | Ave: 14.76 | SR: 27.6 | Econ: 3.20 | 10WM: 2 | 5WI: 5 | BBI: 8-46
Only the six matches for Noman Ali but boy did he make them count. The left-arm finger spinner bookended the campaign with hauls of 7-70 against Sri Lanka in July 2023 and 6-41 against West Indies in January 2025. But his defining performances came against England last year when he and off-spinner Sajid Khan turned the Test series on its head.
After being 'Bazballed' by Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root's (262) record-breaking stand in the first Test at Multan, Pakistan changed tact and opted for a used pitch in the second match at the same venue. Ali (3-101 and 8-46) and Sajid (7-111 and 2-93) took all 20 wickets between them as the hosts won by 152 runs, with the pair completing the comeback in the third Test at Rawalpindi, sharing a further 19 wickets to help Pakistan claim the series 2-1.
Noman Ali (left) and Sajid Khan with the match ball after taking 10 England wickets between them in the thrid Test against England at Rawalpindi // Getty
While Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon (66 wickets at 24) performed in all conditions around the world to put forward a strong case to be included, Ali's numbers – with the best average and strike rate of anyone to bowl more than 100 overs – were just too good to go past. His eight-for against England were also the best figures by any bowler during the WTC campaign.
12th: Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
M: 10 | Wkts: 47 | Ave: 19.97 | SR: 37.8 | Econ: 3.16 | 5WI: 3 | BBI: 6-46 | BBM: 9-72
Just edged out of the XI by captain Pat Cummins and Matt Henry, the South African spearhead is the WTC minor premiers' sole representative in our Team of the Tournament. His 36 wickets in their past eight Tests went a long way to securing South Africa's spot in the decider with four straight series victories over West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
www.cricket.com.au
Just look at his bowling average...
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Our World Test Championship Team of the Tournament
The 2023-25 WTC preliminary matches are done, so we've put our selectors hats on to pick a best XI from the past last two years
Another two years of Test cricket is drawing to a close with the latest instalment of the World Test Championship delivering record crowds as well as batting and bowling feats, along with many incredible matches and series.
The cycle began with England's comeback to draw the 2023 Ashes 2-2, while Australia's come-from-behind 3-1 win over India in the final stages locked in the two WTC finalists and saw them win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
Pakistan also turned the tables on England in their 2-1 win after going down by an innings in the series opener, while South Africa sent their 'B' team to New Zealand due to a clash with their franchise tournament but then won seven Tests on the bounce to secure top spot in the standings and a date with Australia at Lord's from June 11-15.
This 'best XI' recognises those who have delivered both at home and away across the two-year period and rewards players for their consistency rather than just top run scorers and wicket takers.
For that reason, players like Ben Duckett, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon missed out in favour of others such as Matt Henry and Noman Ali, who boast better averages and strike rates but whose teams played fewer matches during the cycle.
Three players return from our last WTC Team of the Tournament – opener Usman Khawaja, Joe Root and captain Pat Cummins.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
M: 19 | Runs: 1798 | Ave: 52.88 | SR: 65.7 | 100s: 4 | 50s: 10 | HS: 214no
Opening up for our best XI is player who couldn't have announced his arrival on the world stage more emphatically over the past two years. Second only to Joe Root for runs scored during the 2023-25 WTC cycle, Yashasvi Jaiswal is on the way to becoming India's next mega star.
Making his international debuts in all three formats over the past 24 months after a breakout 2023 IPL campaign for Rajasthan Royals, the 23-year-old wunderkid put Test rivals on notice with an epic 171 on debut against the West Indies later that year. It was one of four centuries (two of those were doubles) for the dynamic left-hander, who left home aged 12 and moved to Mumbai to further his cricket dream, earning pocket money selling the popular pani puri deep-fried snack and sleeping in a tent until a coach took him under his wing.
Jaiswal saved his best for England, hitting double centuries in consecutive Tests in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot to help India to a commanding 4-1 series win along with player of the series honours. He also left Australian fans in awe last summer with a brilliant 161 in the second innings in Perth to set up India's only win of the tour, while his scores of 82 and 84 in front of record crowds Melbourne ensured the Boxing Day Test went down to the wire.
Usman Khawaja (Australia)
M: 19 | Runs: 1422 | Ave: 41.82 | SR: 44.9 | 100s: 2 | 50s: 6 | HS: 232
The Australian opener capped another consistent WTC cycle with a career-best 232 against Sri Lanka, putting his side on course for their first series win in the island nation in 14 years. Khawaja is one of three players to earn selection in consecutive cricket.com.au World Test Championship Team of the Tournaments, underlining his value to Australia's quest for back-to-back titles. Starting the two-year period alongside David Warner, the left-hander was a constant in a revolving opening partnership for the reigning champions as selectors tried no fewer than four others at the top of the order following Warner's retirement.
Khawaja began the cycle with an emotionally charged 141 and 65 at Edgbaston to set up an Aussie victory in the first Ashes Test and said in the aftermath it was his "favourite match ever" in his life. While his maiden double century earlier this year was the only other time he's reached three figures during the current WTC period, half-centuries at Lord's, Perth (against Pakistan) and the MCG (against India) all came in winning causes.
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
M: 11 | Runs: 1152 | Ave: 54.85 | SR: 54.1 | 100s: 5 | 50s: 4 | HS: 156
Kiwi run machine Williamson capped another consistent two-year cycle with a big hundred against England in Hamilton in the Black Caps' only win if the series. He also hit three tons in four innings against the second-string South African side that toured in February 2023, while he began the current WTC campaign with 104 away from home against Bangladesh.
Williamson made his 100th Test appearance during New Zealand's narrow loss to Australia in Christchurch and is closing in on becoming his country's first batter past the magical 10,000-run mark in the next WTC cycle. His superior average nudges Steve Smith (1324 runs at 41.37) out of the No.3 spot with it also Williamson's preferred position.
Joe Root (England)
M: 22 | Runs: 1968 | Ave: 54.66 | SR: 65.5 | 100s: 7 | 50s: 7 | HS: 262
Like a fine wine, the England champion just keeps getting better with age, finding a new lease on his batting under the Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes' 'Bazball' regime. Root's seven centuries were the most of any batter during the two-year cycle, finishing almost 200 clear of Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the run scorers tally for the second straight WTC campaign. The 34-year-old went past 13,000 Test runs during England's one-off clash with Zimbabwe last month with legends Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid now just a few hundred ahead of him on the all-time list.
Root hit centuries against all six of his opponents this WTC period, including twin tons in the second Test against Sri Lanka at Lord's last year and a career-best 262 in their win over Pakistan in Multan in a Test record fourth-wicket stand of 454 with Harry Brook. Six of those tons came in 2024 alone, while the other was against Australia in the first Test of the 2023 Ashes. Having made the reverse ramp a feature of his 360-degree stroke play, the right-hander's strike rate has also reached a career-high mark of 65.5, making him the first batter picked in our XI for 2023-25.
Harry Brook (England)
M: 17 | Runs: 1463 | Ave: 50.44 | SR: 83.4 | 100s: 4 | 50s: 7 | HS: 317
Root's 'Bazball' partner in crime Harry Brook is next up in our star-studded side following a dominant two years that's seen him reach No.2 behind his teammate in the Test batter rankings. Three of his four centuries came away from home, headlined by a remarkable 317 in England's win over Pakistan in Multan, which was the only triple-century of the WTC cycle.
His two New Zealand hundreds late last year summed up the devastating brilliance of England's attacking ace; the visitors were 3-26 in the first Test and 3-45 in the second when he came to the middle and proceeded to change the course of the match, blasting 123 (115) and 171 (197) to help his side to a 2-1 series win.
Brook's strike rate got him the nod over Temba Bavuma despite averaging 10 runs fewer than the South African skipper – only opener Ben Duckett (84.3) has scored at a quicker rate than the England No.5 from batters to hit more than 200 runs during the WTC preliminary matches. Brook's runs also had a big impact on his team's fortunes with all four centuries coming in wins.
Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
M: 11 | Runs: 1123 | Ave: 62.38 | SR: 66.0 | 100s: 5 | 50s: 3 | HS: 182no
Another young gun who burst onto the world stage this WTC period as the leading Sri Lankan batter, keeping his side in the hunt for a spot in the final right until the dying stages of the tournament. Mendis began his Test career in 2022 as a bits-and-pieces number seven known best for his ambidextrous bowling but by the end of 2024 he'd reached 1000 runs in the same number of innings (13) as Bradman.
After earning a recall at the start of last year, the left-handed marked his return with a century in each innings of their huge win over Bangladesh in Sylhet. All up he hit five tons in 2024, with knocks of 113 against England in Manchester and 114 and 182no against the Kiwis in Galle. While he began the New Year with a quieter series in their loss to Australia, the 26-year-old is one of Sri Lanka's key men for the future. Mendis pips pace allrounders Ben Stokes (1007 runs and 16 wickets) and Mitch Marsh (823 runs and nine wickets) for the No.6 role in our best XI due to his superior average and his ability to go large with five centuries compared to the others one apiece, while his sheer weight of runs edges out Ravindra Jadeja despite the Indian superstar's 55 wickets.
Alex Carey (wk) (Australia)
M: 19 | Runs: 954 | Ave: 35.33 | SR: 63.6 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 5 | HS: 156 | Ct: 79 | St: 16
The Australian takes the gloves in our side after a sensational second half of the preliminary round. Not only did Carey finish with more than double the dismissals of any other keeper (New Zealand's Tom Blundell – 41), he also stepped up with the bat when his team needed. He regards his unbeaten 98 in Australia's tense three-wicket win over the Kiwis in Christchurch as his finest Test innings to date, while he finished the two-year period with a brilliant 156 against Sri Lanka in February.
His work behind the stumps, especially to spinner Nathan Lyon, was exceptional and sees him ranked ahead of fellow keepers Jamie Smith (32 dismissals) and Muhammad Rizwan (40) despite their higher batting averages. His total of 95 dismissals is the most ever in a single campaign from the three WTC cycles to date.
Pat Cummins (c) (Australia)
M: 17 | Wkts: 73 | Bowl ave: 24.54 | Bowl SR: 43.5 | Econ: 3.38 | 10WM: 1 | 5WI: 5 | BBI: 6-91
Runs: 516 | Bat ave: 21.50 | Bat SR: 59.5 | 50s: 1 | HS: 64no
Cummins earns the captain's armband for our second straight Team of the Tournament after leading his side to consecutive WTC deciders. The right-armer was the cycle's second most prolific bowler behind Indian ace Jasprit Bumrah (77 wickets) and was Australia's leading wicket taker in their series wins over Pakistan and India. He began the campaign with a defining 44no to guide Australia home at Edgbaston, contributing another valuable hand of 32no to edge his side over the line against the Kiwis in Christchurch. Scores of 49 and 41 also helped Australia gain the upper hand in their memorable Boxing Day Test win over India to take the lead in the Border-Gavaskar series.
His leadership, as well as his crucial runs from No.8, helped him get the nod over teammates Mitchell Starc (72 wickets at 27.27) and Josh Hazlewood (57 at 19.68). Cummins' best match was his 10-97 in the 2023 Boxing Day Test win over Pakistan, while he also took five-wicket hauls in wins over Pakistan in Sydney and India in Adelaide, as well a 6-91 in the first innings of their defeat to England in Leeds.
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
M: 15 | Wkts: 77 | Ave: 15.09 | SR: 30.7 | Econ: 2.95 | 5WI: 5 | BBI: 6-45 | BBM: 9-91
Fresh off one of the greatest calendar years by a bowler ever, the Indian superstar is first picked in our best XI with the most wickets by a fast bowler in any of the three WTC campaigns to date. Bumrah took 71 wickets alone in 2024, a feat unmatched since Dale Steyn claimed 74 scalps in 2008.
The 31-year-old cleaned up Australia with 32 wickets in one of the greatest tours by a visiting quick of all-time and who knows if the Border-Gavaskar Trophy would have headed home with India had he been able to bowl in the second innings at the SCG. Bumrah also destroyed England with 19 poles in four Tests on unhelpful home surfaces as every other seamer went around the park and he topped the series tally with 12 wickets in two away Tests against WTC ladder-leaders South Africa.
Matt Henry (New Zealand)
M: 9 | Wkts: 48 | Ave: 18.58 | SR: 33.9 | Econ: 3.28 | 5WI: 3 | BBI: 7-67 | BBM: 9-161
Having started his career in the shadows Black Caps greats Trent Boult and Tim Southee, Henry has taken over the mantle as leader of the Kiwi attack this WTC cycle. The right-armer took 29 wickets at 27.65 in the previous two-year period but went to another level in 2023-25 with standout performances against all New Zealand's big opponents – South Africa, Australia, India and England.
Henry was NZ's best bowler in home series against Australia and England but his crowning moment came in Bengaluru when he took 5-15 to skittle India for just 46, setting the tone for their astonishing 3-0 series sweep. He pips England's Gus Atkinson (52 wickets at 22.15) and South Africa's Kagiso Rabada (47 at 19.97) for the third spot in our pace attack, with his 48 poles coming at both a better average and strike rate.
Noman Ali (Pakistan)
M: 6 | Wkts: 46 | Ave: 14.76 | SR: 27.6 | Econ: 3.20 | 10WM: 2 | 5WI: 5 | BBI: 8-46
Only the six matches for Noman Ali but boy did he make them count. The left-arm finger spinner bookended the campaign with hauls of 7-70 against Sri Lanka in July 2023 and 6-41 against West Indies in January 2025. But his defining performances came against England last year when he and off-spinner Sajid Khan turned the Test series on its head.
After being 'Bazballed' by Harry Brook (317) and Joe Root's (262) record-breaking stand in the first Test at Multan, Pakistan changed tact and opted for a used pitch in the second match at the same venue. Ali (3-101 and 8-46) and Sajid (7-111 and 2-93) took all 20 wickets between them as the hosts won by 152 runs, with the pair completing the comeback in the third Test at Rawalpindi, sharing a further 19 wickets to help Pakistan claim the series 2-1.
Noman Ali (left) and Sajid Khan with the match ball after taking 10 England wickets between them in the thrid Test against England at Rawalpindi // Getty
While Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon (66 wickets at 24) performed in all conditions around the world to put forward a strong case to be included, Ali's numbers – with the best average and strike rate of anyone to bowl more than 100 overs – were just too good to go past. His eight-for against England were also the best figures by any bowler during the WTC campaign.
12th: Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
M: 10 | Wkts: 47 | Ave: 19.97 | SR: 37.8 | Econ: 3.16 | 5WI: 3 | BBI: 6-46 | BBM: 9-72
Just edged out of the XI by captain Pat Cummins and Matt Henry, the South African spearhead is the WTC minor premiers' sole representative in our Team of the Tournament. His 36 wickets in their past eight Tests went a long way to securing South Africa's spot in the decider with four straight series victories over West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Our World Test Championship Team of the Tournament | cricket.com.au
The 2023-25 WTC preliminary matches are done, so we've put our selectors hats on to pick a best XI...
www.cricket.com.au
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