Making an all-time team for a format is always fun, isn’t it? Reading the numbers, analyzing the statistics, reminiscing the performances, going through an arduous series of arguments and comparisons in your mind, and finally getting a team.

This all could look great fun, but it is enormously difficult to pick a bunch of eleven shiniest stars from the galaxy of cricket. T20 cricket is an ever-dynamic format and it is for this reason that choosing a few becomes a herculean task.

Nevertheless, the ones underneath are undisputable stalwarts of the game. A few of these are just mechanical selections, for they are just so obvious. Some battled the left-outs and emerged victorious by a margin as thin as of a wafer. And some have been kept out with a heavy stone on the heart.

Here&#8217;s all-time XI of the T20 format:

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-349190" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/CT_366284.jpg" alt width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-349190" class="wp-caption-text">Chris Gayle. (Photo by Ashley Allen/CPL T20 via Getty Images)</figcaption>

It’s an absolute no-brainer. You cannot keep Christopher Henry Gayle out of any discussion which is even remotely related to T20 cricket. He might as well be termed as the brand ambassador of this format. The 40-year-old Jamaican is a horrific nightmare for any bowler and is renowned decimate his adversaries.

With a plethora of records to his name, Gayle happens to be one of the most brutal assaulters of the cricket ball. Technically not the soundest, the “Universe Boss” still has the potential to rip apart any bowler without even moving his feet, through his trademark style of stand and deliver! Who can forget his blitzkrieg of 175 off 63 against <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/sourav-ganguly-didnt-allow-me-to-be-traded-from-pune-warriors-to-chennai-super-kings-murali-kartik/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pune Warriors India</a>?

The swashbuckling southpaw is an entire army in himself and calling him a T20 specialist would be an understatement. Having played for as many as 24 franchises around the world, Gayle is unquestioningly one of the most experienced players in this format.

The ruthless Jamaican has scripted some unreal numbers over the years. Gayle has amassed 13,296 runs in 404 T20 encounters, tops the list of most half-centuries (82), most sixes (978), and most fours (1026) and has crossed the triple-figure mark 22 times (Mind you, no one else has even 10). Dare anyone challenge the Universe Boss!

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-376344" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/David-Warner-6.jpg" alt="David Warner" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-376344" class="wp-caption-text">David Warner. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)</figcaption>

A brawny, resolute, and sturdy batsman, David Warner has stamped his mark as an all-format opener. The premier batsman from Australia has an innate ability to accelerate his innings to perfection and is renowned for his barbarous hitting up the order. The glitzy left-hander has pulverized the most qualified bowlers over the years, making himself a befitting contender for any T20 side.

He is a proficient player against pacers as well as spinners and his records are a lucid testament of that. Warner has aggregated 500 or more runs for 5 consecutive <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/pragyan-ojha-recalls-getting-a-special-gift-for-dismissing-sachin-tendulkar-in-ipl-2009/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IPL </a>seasons running since 2015 and is undoubtedly one of the most successful overseas campaigners in the star-studded tournament who has thoroughly entertained large swathes of the planet with his blistering knocks over the years.

The 33-year-old is a leopard in the field and the ball can just not go past from the place where he stands. He is a fierce runner with the calibre to cover a huge chunk of ground in a jiffy. Warner has accumulated 9218 runs in 280 matches at an outstanding strike rate of 142.20.

This blazing opening duo is good enough to give any bowler a chill down his spine. Make no mistake, Gayle and Warner are not just about wild hitting, they are in the elite club of triple centurions in Test Cricket!

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-409038" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Virat-Kohli-12.jpg" alt="Virat Kohli" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409038" class="wp-caption-text">Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Arguably one of the classiest in the business, Virat Kohli is the apogee of sublimity. It is virtually impossible to summarize this prolific human in any combination of words. The Delhi-dasher has proved his mettle at No. 3 in every format for over a decade in international cricket. An in-your-face player, Kohli loves expressing himself and can play any shot in the book of cricket.

The bravest, the fittest, and the boldest, this juggernaut is a default pick in any team one makes. His fervency and commitment towards the game are unmatchable. Tactics to technique to fielding to batting to running between the wickets, you name it and this precocious talent is 10 on 10 everywhere.

He has given us some stupendous exhibitions of batting over the years, but the 113 off 50 versus <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/punjab-di-patolas-kings-xi-punjab-share-gender-swap-pictures-of-its-players/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kings XI Punjab</a> in a rain-curtailed match is one of the most terrific knocks of all times. Notably, Kohli had seven stitches on his left hand’s webbing that day, but he proved that an injured lion is even more perilous.

Kohli is known for his ridiculous chasing prowess and there is nothing like a “safe target” as long as this run-machine is batting. This lad has run-chases for breakfast and dinner. He has 8900 runs in 281 T20 clashes at a healthy average of 41.20. His 973 runs in IPL 2016 is hitherto the highest by a batsman in a single IPL season.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-375305" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/AB-de-Villiers.jpg" alt="AB de Villiers" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-375305" class="wp-caption-text">AB de Villiers. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

Can one imagine an all-time T20 XI without the name Abraham Benjamin de Villiers? Versatile, destructive, and breathtaking, this superhuman from <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-had-developed-coronavirus-like-symptoms-during-the-south-africa-series-in-january-jack-leach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South Africa</a> can do anything and everything on the field. You will see the same man bludgeoning a 44-ball 149 in an ODI and crawling to 43 in 297 balls for saving a Test match.

ABD is the epitome of adaptability and innovation. If Kohli could play every shot in the book, de Villiers has made an entire book having shots of his own. Mr. 360 has the knack to hit anytime, anywhere, against any bowler. The legend’s dictionary has no word called “fear” in it, for this outrageously audacious man has plundered the mightiest of bowlers over the years.

Given his batting pyrotechnics and swiftness on the field, De Villiers has established himself as a giant of this game. His immaculate hand-eye coordination, ability to exquisitely manoeuvre the field, hitting never-seen-before shots and lightning-fast fielding make him a complete package.  He has scored 8657 runs in 310 T20Is with a mind-boggling career strike rate of 149.77.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-410998" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Brendon-McCullum.jpg" alt="Brendon McCullum" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-410998" class="wp-caption-text">Brendon McCullum. ( Photo by Subhendu Ghosh/ Hindustan Times via Getty Images)</figcaption>

One of the most explosive openers in the history of cricket, McCullum is a brash, audacious, and a vigorous customer. A bundle of force and boldness, this kiwi wicketkeeper-batsman has the capacity to smother his opponents within a blink of an eye. He is an intrinsically aggressive player who adores playing his natural game and can be upsettingly unsettling for even the nastiest of bowlers, let alone part-timers or average ones.

McCullum loves dancing down the track and making a mockery of the quickest of bowlers. Over the years, this murderous stroke-player has completed many carnages all by himself. A defining knock, amongst many others, was his astounding 158 off just 73 in the very first game of the inaugural <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/pragyan-ojha-recalls-getting-a-special-gift-for-dismissing-sachin-tendulkar-in-ipl-2009/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IPL </a>in 2008.

Apart from being known for his merciless hitting, he is one of the agilest fielders and an impeccable wicket-keeper who preys on the ball like a ravenous eagle. McCullum is fondly referred to as Baz, which resembles the Hindi for eagle! Having scored 9922 runs in 370 T20s, Baz is placed third in the list of most runs in T20s.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-409975" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Andre-Russell’s-push-ups.jpg" alt="Andre Russell’s push-ups" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409975" class="wp-caption-text">Andre Russell’s push-ups. (Photo Source: Youtube)</figcaption>

An uproarious, burly <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/west-indies-vs-india-rohit-sharma-lights-up-the-day-of-two-of-his-jamaican-fans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jamaican </a>all-rounder, Andre Russell is a powerhouse and a rock-solid finisher. Muscle-Russell, as he is called in the fraternity, is known for his brutal rampaging with the bat. He is a reckless demolisher with such beastly force which could subdue anyone who comes in front.

A robust enforcer of the Caribbean unit, Dre Russ is hooliganry personified. His batting fashion is almost unbecoming of a batsman and becoming of a monster. Having played for more than 16 franchises across different tournaments, the flamboyant right-hander has butchered bowlers all over the world.

Apart from his hoodlumism with the bat, the 32-year-old has emblazoned his mark as a valuable fast bowler. In 321 matches, Russell has 5365 runs and he boasts an outlandish career strike rate of 171.29. Add to that 291 wickets at a brilliant strike rate of 18.7 and you have an absolute hulk of the game.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-415518" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/MS-Dhoni-and-Gibran.jpg" alt="MS Dhoni and Gibran" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-415518" class="wp-caption-text">MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

No prizes for guessing who the captain is. The sharpest of all, MSD has been an unparalleled sensation in every role he ever played. A captain more accomplished than any, an undisputable champion with the gloves and unarguably the finest finisher in the game of cricket, Dhoni is another default pick in the side.

Be it affecting run outs by deflecting the ball without even looking at the wickets or stumping the batsmen out by whipping off the bails in a flash, Mahi’s work behind the wickets is second to none. Even at an age of nearly 39, his eyes are as sharp as a hawk and his sprints can give an 18-year-old a complex. Having finished in his style a billion games, MSD is a synonym of “finisher”.

A microcosm of maturity, wit, intelligence, and astuteness, Dhoni brings a sense of calm, belief, and assurance on the field. Having won every prominent tournament of cricket, the <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/surprised-how-ms-dhoni-middled-almost-every-ball-in-the-nets-says-jharkhands-coach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jharkhand</a>-born is one of the most decorated cricketers ever and has a trophy cabinet like none other. He has 6621 runs at an average of 39.88 in 317 T20 encounters. MS has captained 270 of these and has won 160.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-315059" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Sunil-Narine.jpg" alt="Sunil Narine" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-315059" class="wp-caption-text">Sunil Narine. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

An enigmatic spinner from Trinidad and Tobago, Sunil Narine is an established brand of the T20 format. With his accuracy, discipline, and a rather deceptive action, he has baffled a plethora of batsmen in his illustrious career.

The 32-year-old has mastered the art of bowling with versatility and has a number of potent weapons in the form of carom ball, knuckle-ball, and skidders. Curmudgeonly bowling aside, Narine has the ability to whack some lusty blows and has even opened the innings for <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/kolkata-knight-riders-kkr-probable-playing-xi-if-only-indians-play-ipl-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kolkata Knight Riders</a>, his IPL franchise.

Having 379 wickets in his kitty from 336 matches, Narine sits at number three from the top in the list of leading wicket-takers of this format. A career economy of just 6.02, even after being predominantly a bowler who bowls in the powerplay, is a testament to his immense success. He has an impressive strike rate of 20.2 and has bagged a 4-wicket haul 11 times&#8211; the most for any bowler.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-423637" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Rashid-Khan-1.jpg" alt="Rashid Khan" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-423637" class="wp-caption-text">Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter)</figcaption>

A toilsome and gallant believer from Afghanistan, Rashid Khan took the world by storm in 2015. In merely five years, this exceptional talent has carved out a niche for himself and is already a legend in the making.

Not too big a turner of the ball, Rashid backs his ability by bowling quicker through the air and cramping batsman for room. He is impeccably precise in his line and length and there are no easy pickings on offer when he bowls. His leg-breaks enmeshed with an indecipherable googly makes him an indomitable productive force.

The <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/mohammad-nabi-interview-by-anis-sajan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Afghanistan</a> leggie is an athletic fielder who would unflinchingly throw himself at the ball. He is more than a frantic slogger with the bat and has played a number of thunderous cameos down the order.

His career economy of 6.30 is unequivocal evidence of his dangerously parsimonious attitude when it comes to giving runs. In 211 T20s, the 21-year-old has bagged 296 wickets at a magnificent strike rate of 16.3. With the bat, Rashid strikes at an outstanding 149.48.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-407691" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Dale-Steyn.jpg" alt="Dale Steyn" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-407691" class="wp-caption-text">Dale Steyn. (Photo by FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption>

Predaceous, brutish, and dreadful, Dale Steyn is a phenomenal pacer from <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/i-had-developed-coronavirus-like-symptoms-during-the-south-africa-series-in-january-jack-leach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South Africa</a>. As if his vulturine eyes and pumped-up nerves are not enough to frighten his adversaries, he ensures to rip them off with extreme pace and vicious swing.

An adroit ability to move the ball both ways coupled with furious pace makes him nearly unplayable on many occasions. To watch Steyn charging in with his front-on action, bending his back to the fullest to launch a ferocious &#8216;jaffa&#8217; is a sheer delight. Given a svelte physique, Steyn also adds value as an impressive fielder.

The champion pacer has made his name in every format of the game without an exception. In a memorable career of 15 years, the 37-year-old has played 220 matches and has scalped 256 wickets at a marvellous economy of 6.75.

<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-409040" src="https://crictracker-admin-panel-08032022.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media/attachments/Lasith-Malinga.jpg" alt="Lasith Malinga" width="640" height="400" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409040" class="wp-caption-text">Lasith Malinga. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)</figcaption>

An epitome of precision and accuracy, Lasith Malinga is simply remarkable in this format. The <a href="https://www.crictracker.com/ross-taylor-reveals-three-toughest-bowlers-he-has-faced-includes-two-sri-lankans-in-the-list/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sri Lankan</a> mainstay is one of the most experienced bowlers in limited-over cricket. Fondly called as “Slinga Malinga”, he has been popular for his slingy round-arm action which gives him the ability to deliver pinpoint accurate yorkers.

However, he is much more than just steaming in-swinging yorkers. Having an excellent bouncer and a highly deceptive slower ball in his bowling armoury, the 36-year-old is one of the most difficult bowlers to get away with. He is an undeniable king of yorkers, but that is not the end of his expertise. Malinga is a designated death bowler and his threat in death needs no introduction.

His unorthodox action, skill to fluctuate his pace, and use variations to perfection has reaped immense success over the years. Having 390 wickets from 295 matches, Malinga is the second-highest wicket-taker in T20s.

12th Man- Kieron Pollard

A thrashing lower middle-order batsman, Pollard is one of the limited-over wonders. The 33-year-old Trinidadian has the potential to clear any boundary on his day. A medium pacer with the ball, he rolls his fingers on the bowl to throw cutters and mixes it up well.

He is one of the safest pair of hands when it comes to fielding and has taken some of the most sensational and jaw-dropping catches over the years. In a whopping 501 matches, Pollard has 10,000 runs and 279 wickets to his name.

Batsmen&#8211; Rohit Sharma and Aaron Finch

All-Rounders- Dwayne Bravo, Shakib Al Hassan, and Shane Watson

Bowlers- Imran Tahir

~Written by Pratyay Tiwari

A starry XI of the best in the business. Let’s take a look at who makes the cut.

All-time best T20 XI around the world

T20 cricket is an ever-dynamic format and it is for this reason that choosing a few becomes a herculean task. . Let’s take a look at who makes the cut.

All-time best T20 XI around the world

A starry XI of the best in the business. Let’s take a look at who makes the cut.

11. Lasith Malinga

12th Man- Kieron Pollard

Notable Omissions: