MUMBAI: Paceman Lasith Malinga was the only member of Sri Lanka’s World Twenty20-winning side to earn a place in the International Cricket Council (ICC) team of the tournament, as vanquished Indian players dominated the selection.

Sri Lanka broke a finals-losing jinx to lift a maiden World Twenty20 title on Sunday with a comfortable six-wicket victory over 2007 champions India.

However, only the blond-mopped Malinga, who led the side after Dinesh Chandimal opted to keep himself out of the starting lineup, made the ICC team named on Monday.

Four Indian players made the side, captained by wicketkeeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with two from South Africa and West Indies, and one representative each from Australia and the Netherlands besides champions Sri Lanka.

“It was a very difficult task for the panel to pick a team of 11 from the exciting players who featured in this tournament,” former Australia batsman David Boon, the chairman of the ICC selection panel, said in a statement.

“As the selection criteria for the team of the tournament are the performances of players in the conditions during the ICC World Twenty20 2014, some of the best players in world cricket had to be left out of the team.

“Bowlers, in particular, performed strongly throughout this tournament and the side we have selected includes three of the most impressive bowlers in Dale Steyn, Samuel Badree and Lasith Malinga.”

Team: Rohit Sharma (India), Stephan Myburgh (Netherlands), Virat Kohli (India), JP Duminy (South Africa), Glenn Maxwell (Australia), MS Dhoni (India — captain), Darren Sammy (West Indies), Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Samuel Badree (West Indies), Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka).

12th player: Krishmar Santokie (West Indies)

Dhoni defends Yuvraj

Meanwhile, Dhoni sprang to teammate Yuvraj Singh’s defense after the left-hander’s struggle with the bat in the World Twenty20 final loss to Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Struggling to hit or rotate strike, Yuvraj looked a shadow of the player who was the architect of India’s 20-over World Cup victory in 2007 and the 50 overs World Cup in 2011.

The lefthander, who hit England’s Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in the 2007 World Twenty20, used up 21 deliveries toward the end to score 11 runs, failing even to rotate strike and allow the set batsman and player-of-the-tournament Virat Kohli (77) to launch a late assault.

India managed 19 runs in the last four overs despite having eight wickets in hand and Kohli faced just eight balls in the last four overs before running himself out as India settled for a below-par 130 for four.

Dhoni conceded the last four overs probably cost India the trophy, which would have completed a record limited overs treble for the 50-over World Cup and Champions Trophy holders.

“The last four is the place where you really want to score as many runs as you can. That was an area we could not capitalize (on),” Dhoni said.

He refused, however, to blame Yuvraj who, barring a half-century against Australia, had a poor tournament.

“He was trying, the thing is he was trying and that’s the most you can do.

“It happens to all, not just cricketers. Yuvi tried his best, it was an off day for him. It’s not easy for a batsman to go out and straight away start slogging.”

Asked why he did not promote himself ahead of Yuvraj, Dhoni said: “We wanted a left-right combination to make it slightly difficult for the bowlers to execute their plans. That was the reason why we had Yuvi at No.4

The India captain preferred to credit the Sri Lankan bowlers for restricting his team.

“We have to give credit to the Sri Lankan bowlers. They were looking for wide yorkers and all were perfect wide yorkers.

“Other than one wide delivery, they were right on the mark which made it difficult for us to score freely.”