Devine opens batting, Ecclestone leads attack: FairBreak Invitational team of tournament

A multinational XI involves players from across the cricket world

FairBreak Invitational Team of the Tournament: 1) Chamari Athapaththu (Falcons): Started the tournament in the most belligerent fashion with a century on opening night, and scarcely let up thereafter. Photo: FairBreak Global

2) Sophie Devine (Tornadoes): Beats Danni Wyatt to the second opener spot in this team on the strength of the brutal half-century which won the final for her team. Chris Whiteoak / The National

3) Deandra Dottin (Barmy Army): The “World Boss” formed an impressive opening partnership with UAE’s Kavisha Kumari throughout, and scored a ton in a losing cause in the bronze-medal match. Getty

4) Sophia Dunkley (Spirit): Hit the highest score of the tournament in the third-place playoff, was third in the run charts, and took six wickets with her leg-spin, too. Chris Whiteoak / The National

5) Nicola Carey (Spirit): A late and bashful captaincy replacement for Bismah Maroof, but she led her side from the front. She had the best strike-rate of any batter in the tournament. Photo: FairBreak Global

6) Babette de Leede (Sapphires): The Dutch keeper showed up well enough with the bat, but was spectacular with the gloves – most notably when she affected five stumpings in an innings. Chris Whiteoak / The National

7) Sophie Ecclestone (Spirit): The world’s No 1 bowler was burned by her England teammate Danni Wyatt in the semifinal, when she went at 11 per over. Until then, she had been all but unplayable. Chris Whiteoak / The National

8) Chanida Sutthiruang (Tornadoes): Solid throughout, then superb in the final when she got the prize wickets of Wyatt and Athapaththu, and ran out Theertha Satish. AFP

9) Shizuka Miyaji (Spirit): The Japan spinner took four for 18 against the Falcons in the league stage, and took six wickets in the seven overs she sent down altogether. Photo: FairBreak Global

10) Winifred Duraisingham (Tornadoes): The Malaysia medium-pacer started the tournament in fine form, with two wickets against Sapphires then a player of the match display against Warriors. Chris Whiteoak / The National

11) Henriette Ishimwe (Barmy Army): The Rwandan teenager provided one of the most salient images of the competition when she bowled Nicola Carey. She was thrifty throughout with her seamers. Getty

The fact players from Thailand, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Nepal shone as brightly as ones from New Zealand and South Africa in Sunday’s FairBreak Invitational final showed the tournament had delivered on its promise.

That was to provide a platform for players from beyond cricket’s ancient elite, and give them an equal chance to perform.

There were more than 30 countries represented at the T20 event over the past two weeks, and some of the most eye-catching moments were delivered by players from cricket's backwaters.

Our XI of the tournament includes six players from Test nations, then five more from as disparate backgrounds as the Netherlands, Rwanda, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan.