The Best of 2017: T20 International XI of the year

2017 has been a witness to several riveting encounters between bat and ball, especially in the T20 International format. Every team has fought tooth and nail to get the better of each other. Resultantly, they have dished out some cliffhangers. However, there have also been some one-sided affairs during the year. Several cricketers have soared above expectations, dished out some awe-inspiring cricket and entertained the world in the shortest version of the sport. In our article, we take an insight into the T20 International team of the year, comprising of some big names. 1. Evin Lewis (Windies) Evin Lewis of West Indies. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images) Evin Lewis has been a stalwart for the Windies in their T20I line-up. He has had a scintillating year with the willow. In nine matches, the left-handed batsman has racked up 357 runs at a staggering average of 44.62 and a strike-rate of 154.54. Meanwhile, he also ended the year as the highest run-getter in T20 Internationals. He started off with a couple of low scores but notched a brilliant 91 runs to trace down a target of 137 runs set by Pakistan. In July, he racked up his second T20 International ton against India when he tore apart the Indian bowling with a knock of 125 runs in 62 balls. He also played a breezy knock of 51 runs in a one-off T20I against England in September. 2. Rohit Sharma (India) Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) Rohit Sharma, with the passage of time, has carved a reputation for himself as a dependable batsman for India. The graceful Indian opener has had a topsy-turvy year with the willow. In nine games, he perished cheaply on six occasions but made up for it with a couple of swashbuckling knocks. In 2017 he has scored 256 runs at an average of 32 and a bludgeoning strike-rate of 176.55. During Ashish Nehra’s farewell T20 International in Delhi against New Zealand, he played a masterful knock of 80 runs and also racked up India’s previous highest opening-stand in T20Is along with Shikhar Dhawan. Most recently, the Mumbaikar hogged the headlines as he equalled David Miller’s record of the fastest T20I ton against Sri Lanka in Indore and finished the year on a high. 3. Virat Kohli (C) (India) Indian Captain Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter) Virat Kohli has been a prolific run-scorer for India in all formats of the game with 11 centuries under his belt in 2017. Recently, he took a break from cricket and got married to Anushka Sharma in Italy. In seven games, the Indian skipper has scored 299 runs at an average of 37.37. He batted at number three and piled on runs for India, barring the solitary T20 International against Australia at Guwahati. His top score of the year came in September when he smashed the Lankan bowlers with a Man of the Match knock of 82 runs off 54 balls. He also played a decent hand of 65 runs against New Zealand in Rajkot. The Delhi cricketer also has played a couple of useful cameos, which has enhanced his reputation as a whie ball batsman. 4. AB de Villiers (South Africa) AB de Villiers. (Photo Source: Twitter) Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is renowned for playing extravagant strokes in the shortest format of the sport and is popularly known as Mr. 360 degrees. He has had a great run during the year as he has racked up 304 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 152. He started the year with a breezy knock of 63 runs against Sri Lanka in Cape Town. He also impressed during South Africa’s tour of England with a couple of useful knocks against a potent English bowling lineup. He hasn’t played much in 2017 but put his hand up for South Africa at crunch moments of a game. He has been selected for South Africa’s home series against India and will be itching to start the New Year on an auspicious note. 5. Shoaib Malik (Pakistan) Shoaib Malik of Pakistan. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Shoaib Malik has been a stalwart in the Pakistan batting lineup for many years. He dragged Pakistan out of precarious positions on many occasions. 2017 has been a pretty decent year for the 35-year-old Sialkot-born cricketer. In 10 games, Malik has scored 273 runs at an average of 45.50 and a handsome strike-rate of 144.44. He hasn’t got the big scores beside his name but has been consistent enough to fetch Pakistan victories in the shortest version of the game. With 102 runs in three matches at an average of 51, Malik recently was Pakistan’s highest run-scorer in their recently concluded series against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates. He also played a couple of useful knocks when the World XI toured Pakistan for a three-match series. 6. Niroshan Dickwella (wk) (Sri Lanka) Sri Lankan cricketer Niroshan Dickwella. (Photo by LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) Niroshan Dickwella emerged as a brash and outlandish cricketer ever since he forayed into international cricket for Sri Lanka. He has had an impressive run in 2017 as he was Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer in with 233 runs in nine games at a strike-rate of 141.21. His top-score of the year came against South Africa at the Newlands in Cape Town where he notched 68 runs off 51 balls. The knock helped the Lankans beat South Africa and subsequently earned Dickwella the Man of the Match award. Thereafter, he has got starts but hasn’t been able to convert them into something substantial. The wicket-keeper batsman recently played a three-match T20I series against India at Cuttack, Indore and Mumbai. Overall, he has been an asset to the Lankan side in the current year. 7. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) Afghan cricketer Mohammad Nabi. (Photo by -/AFP/Getty Images) Mohammad Nabi has been an integral part of Afghanistan’s rise in world cricket. He has had an impressive run with the national team in 2017. In 10 games, the all-rounder has scored 209 runs at a blistering strike-rate of 175.63. He started the year with a Player of the Match performance against Ireland at Abu Dhabi. He nipped out a couple of wickets and then scored 26 off 17 balls to take Afghanistan past the finishing line. During Ireland’s tour of India, Nabi smashed his way to a whirlwind knock of 89 runs off 30 balls, which included nine massive sixes. The batting masterclass also became the highest individual score by a batsman at No. 6 or lower in T20Is. He has also picked up nine wickets with best bowling figures of 4/10 against Ireland at Dubai. 8. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) Rashid Khan of Afghanistan. (Photo by RANDY BROOKS/AFP/Getty Images) Rashid Khan has been a revelation with the ball for Afghanistan with his wily leg-breaks. He has bamboozled the best in the business as batsmen have found him difficult to decipher. 2017 has seen him grown leaps and bounds in the shortest version of cricket. In 10 matches, the Afghan wrist-spinner has racked up 17 wickets at a frugal economy of 4.57 and a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 9.41. In March, he ripped the heart out of Ireland’s batting with a spell of three runs and five wickets in two overs at Greater Noida. He also impressed during Afghanistan’s tour of the Windies in June and conceded 50 runs in 12 overs against a powerful Caribbean batting lineup. The Afghan will be looking to carry forward the good form for the upcoming year. 9. Yuzvendra Chahal (India) Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal. (Photo by Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Yuzvendra Chahal has effortlessly been India’s go-to bowler in the spin-bowling department in the last one year, especially in the limited-overs format. Apart from picking up wickets, he also managed to choke the batsmen by hitting immaculate channels. 2017 has ended on an auspicious note as he is currently the highest wicket-taker with 23 wickets in 11 matches. His best bowling performance of 6/25 came against England at Bangalore when the leggie decimated the English batting lineup with his bag of tricks. Subsequently, England lost eight wickets for eight runs and slumped frenetically. The numbers are still recorded as the best figures by an Indian bowler in T20Is. Recently, with eight wickets in two games, he emerged as the highest wicket-taker of the recently concluded India vs Sri Lanka T20 International series. 10. Kesrick Williams (Windies) Kesrick Williams of West Indies. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Kesrick Williams isn’t intimidating to the naked eyes, however, can bowl a heavy ball to put the skids under world-class batsmen. The numbers display the class the calibre of the Windies pacer as he has picked up 17 wickets in games with a masterful economy of 6.95 Out of the nine games, he went wicket-less on a single occasion against Pakistan at the Bridgetown in Barbados. Apart from that, he has consistently nipped out crucial wickets during crunch moments of a contest. During Afghanistan’s tour of the Windies in June, he turned out to be the top wicket-taker with eight scalps. He also has picked up Virat Kohli’s wicket when India toured the Caribbean in July for an ODI and T20I series. 11. Jasprit Bumrah (India) Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo Source: Twitter) Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t have a truckload of wickets to show for, but he has been able to tie down batsmen with his Yorkers and clever variations in pace. In 11 T20 Internationals in 2017, the pacer has snared 12 wickets. Considering the fact that he bowls during the power-play and death overs, an economy of 6.92 is considered no less than outstanding. He started the year with a brilliant last-over against England where he conceded just a couple of runs to help India draw level in the series. During the third T20I between India and New Zealand, Bumrah dished out a spell of 2/9 in two overs to strangle the Kiwis. The Sri Lankan batsmen also found it tough to get going against the fiery Indian fast-bowler.

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The Best of 2017: T20 International XI of the year

Several cricketers have soared above expectations, dished out some awe-inspiring cricket and entertained the world in the shortest version of the sport.

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