Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag won a massive endorsement from fans on Wednesday when they were effectively declared the finest one-day international (ODI) opening pair ever.
On a day when the 50-over game celebrated its 40th anniversary, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the results of its online poll - in which 600,000 fans from 97 countries took part - conducted to select an all time 'dream ODI team'.
Only one other Indian found a place in this dream XI - all rounder Kapil Dev who led India to its sole ODI World Cup victory in 1983. Like India, Australia too have three members in the dream team: Ricky Ponting as middle order batsman, Adam Gilchrist as wicket keeper and Glenn McGrath as one of the pacers.
The West Indies have two: Viv Richards and Brian Lara, both in the middle order. South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have Alan Donald (pacer), Muthiah Muralitharan (spinner) and Wasim Akram (pacer) respectively. No one from England or New Zealand made it to the dream team.
Fans have also picked the best game in one-day history: the sensational South African victory over Australia in Johannesburg in 2006. Batting first, Australia amassed a record 434-4, but South Africa were able to overhaul even this mammoth total.
The team: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Viv Richards, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Kapil Dev, Adam Gilchrist, Alan Donald, Wasim Akram, Glenn McGrath, Muthiah Muralitharan.
{{/usCountry}}The team: Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Viv Richards, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Kapil Dev, Adam Gilchrist, Alan Donald, Wasim Akram, Glenn McGrath, Muthiah Muralitharan.
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