Cricket in 2018: Best ODI XI of the year

A total of 127 One-Day International matches were played in the year 2018. Most teams focused on the 50-overs format since it is the year of the World Cup. There was a lot of emphasis on featuring as many prospective players as possible and even the experienced names were recalled in the team. The team that played most matches in the year was Zimbabwe at 26, then there was England at 24, India and Afghanistan at 20 each. The Indian team played most matches overseas and still maintained the highest win percentage at 75, England closely followed them at 73 and New Zealand at 66. Among batsmen, it was once again Virat Kohli’s year with the bat as he scored tons of runs and accomplished quite a few milestones, with the ball it was Rashid Khan who took the honours as the highest wicket-taker. Among all-rounders as well Rashid ended the year at the top of the rankings. As a part of Cricket in 2018: here we take a look at the best ODI XI of the year: 1. Rohit Sharma (India) Rohit Sharma. (Photo Source: Twitter) The Mumbai batsman is unquestionably one of the most consistent openers in ODI cricket today. Rohit Sharma started his career as a middle-order batsman but it really took off after being promoted to the top order. The elegant right-hander is known for starting his innings in a calmly manner but is literally unstoppable once he sets himself in. In 19 ODIs this year, the 31-year-old has piled up 1030 runs at an unbelievable average of nearly 74. The vice-captain of the Indian team has also crunched five centuries in this period, his highest score was 162 against the Windies. Rohit has been slotted in the opening spot, having such impressive numbers. 2. Jonny Bairstow (England) Jonny Bairstow of England. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) The seeds of England’s dominance in limited-overs cricket were certainly sown by a dominant opening pair. England had Jason Roy and Alex Hales at the top until recently but Jonny Bairstow was ascended to the opening spot in the year 2017 against the Windies in the five-match ODI series. The series saw him scoring a total of 302 runs, including two hundreds and he stamped his authority. Since then, the 29-year old has made the opening position his own and formed a formidable pair along with Jason Roy. The year 2018 saw the Yorkshire-born muster 1025 runs in 22 ODIs at a solid average of nearly 47 and accompanies Rohit Sharma in the opening position. He also gives a keeping option but can make it into the team as a pure opener as well. 3. Virat Kohli (C) (India) Virat Kohli of India. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Probably the greatest batsman of this generation and the one who is an automatic choice for the No. 3 position, Virat Kohli, by a mile betters everyone else for the slot. The Indian captain is known for his super human batting display and it amplifies further in run chases especially the stiff ones. It was another year when the Delhi batsman showed the world what makes him the best. He was exceptionally consistent and got the runs as well as hundreds day in day out. In 2018, he also got past the 10,000-run mark in ODIs. Kohli accumulated 1202 runs in only 14 ODIs at a stunning average of 133.56 with the best score of 160*. With such spectacular numbers, Kohli will be hard to oust from his position and hence he makes it to the team of the year and will captain the side. 4. Joe Root (England) Joe Root. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) Root might not be considered the most ideal player for 50-overs cricket in this slam-bang era but has bailed the English team out of several troubled times in recent months. The 27-year-old’s most important knock for England in the recent times came against India in the 2nd ODI at Lord’s. His century enabled England to level the series after the visitors thwarted the hosts in the first ODI. Another flamboyant hundred in the third ODI and the bat drop celebration sealed the series for England. It also helped Root secure his man of the series award. In 24 ODIs this year, the right-hander has amassed 946 runs at an average of 59. 5. Ross Taylor (New Zealand) New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) The 34-year-old from New Zealand is one of the most experienced players from the team. Ross Taylor is considered as one of the greatest cricketers from the country and surpassed Nathan Astle’s record of most centuries by a Kiwi in ODIs in 2017 with 17 hundreds. Predominantly batting in the middle-order, Taylor has accumulated 639 runs in 11 games in 2018 at an average of 91.29. The team didn’t play a lot of cricket for the major part of the year, however, the veteran made it count when they did. His highest individual score of 181 not out in this period came against England at Dunedin while nailing a mammoth chase to perfection. [interaction id=”5c24e656f6c2824593c6dc0c”] 6. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) Afghan cricketer Mohammad Nabi. (Photo by -/AFP/Getty Images) The Afghan players have been making a lightning fast impact in the recent few years. Mohammad Nabi, the former Afghan captain has been one of the many architects for the nation’s dramatic rise to being a competitive side across formats. Known generally as a pinch hitter, the 33-year-old is also capable of steering the ship and gives stability to the batting order. Nabi’s off-spin has garnered him 24 wickets in 20 ODI games in 2018 at a miserly economy rate of 4.08. Nabi’s inclusion at No. 6 slots him for the role of a hitter and with him, the team also gets an extra spinner who can prove to be a wicket-taker in the middle overs. 7. Jos Buttler (wk) (England) Jos Buttler of England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images) If 2018 changed everything for a player, it was Jos Buttler. From making it big in the IPL at the start of the year, he was soon not just re-included but also named the vice-captain of England’s Test team. The hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman is the best among the lot today. Buttler has been wholesomely reliable, not only as a batsman but also as a gloveman in ODIs. The 28-year old was named the Man of the Series in a 5-0 annihilation of their arch-rivals Australia. Apart from captaining England in the 2nd ODI, Buttler hoarded 275 runs in 5 games at an average of 137.50. His glovework yielded him five catches and four stumpings as well. Buttler will don the gloves for the ODI team and will have the role of the finisher given his clean hitting abilities. 8. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) Rashid Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter) The Afghan leggie is one of the greatest spin-bowlers going around the cricketing world currently. Rashid Khan sits on the 2nd position in the ICC ranking for bowlers and first in the ICC rankings for all-rounders in the One-Day International format. The 20-year old is also the vice-captain for the national team and has garnered praises worldwide for the value he adds to the team in all departments. Rashid is also the most sought-after player in franchise cricket today and presently plays for Comilla Victorians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Adelaide Strikers, Kabul Zwanan, Durban Heat in the BPL, IPL, BBL, APL and MSL along with other tournaments. The prodigy ends 2018 as the highest wicket-taker in 50-overs cricket with 48 scalps in 20 matches at an average of 14.45. 9. Adil Rashid (England) Adil Rashid. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Adil Rashid has been the go-to bowler for his captain Eoin Morgan in the recent times. Although he was relatively unsuccessful early for England, Rashid has proved himself to be a highly-skilled leg-spin bowler, foxing some best batsmen of spin. The 30-year-old from Yorkshire bowled beautifully in England’s tour of Australia, bagging 10 wickets in only five games as the visitors romped to a resounding win by 4-1. He backed it up with a few more exceptional performances on their home soil against India and Australia and in an away series against Sri Lanka. He will end 2018 having scalped 42 wickets in 24 ODIs at a reasonably good economy rate of 5.42 and would be looking forward to playing a decisive role for England in the upcoming World Cup. 10. Jasprit Bumrah (India) Jasprit Bumrah of India. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Jasprit Bumrah has redefined the role of death bowling for the Indian cricket team. The team which had been leaky in terms of runs especially in the slog overs have immensely improved with Bumrah on their side now. The slinging action of Bumrah along with his ability to pitch inch perfect, toe-crushing yorkers with express pace have bamboozled the best of the batsmen multiple times. The 25-year-old is now the spearhead of India’s bowling attack in all three formats along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Although he has spent some part of 2018 on the sidelines because of injury, Bumrah has played a total of 13 ODIs this year, having taken 22 wickets. [interaction id=”5c24eb0dfaefab4a49056883″] 11. Lungi Ngidi (South Africa) Lungi Ngidi. (Photo Source: Twitter) The 22-year-old made his Test debut in the month of January this year, taking seven wickets in the match and earned the Man of the Match award. Ngidi was then recalled to the Proteas ODI side. Though unsuccessful in his debut, Ngidi has become a really polished and is among the fiercest fast bowlers today, capable of clocking speeds in excess of 140 kph all the way through his spell. The Durban-born speedster has played 13 ODIs this year, picking up 26 wickets at an average of 23.04. With the emergence of Ngidi and Kagiso Rabada at his peak, the South Africa’s bowling is in good hands, considering Dale Steyn is in his twilight years. Ngidi will have a lot to do even in the World Cup 2019. Get the latest Cricket News and all the Cricket in 2018 articles, Match Predictions, Fantasy Cricket Tips and lots more on CricTracker.com.

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Cricket in 2018: Best ODI XI of the year

It was another year when Virat Kohli bossed the bowlers and Rashid Khan made life miserable for the batsmen as well as bowlers.

7. Jos Buttler (wk) (England)

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