Cricket in 2018: Best XI of the year from all T20 leagues

The year 2018 was a highly eventful one for the T20 Leagues around the world. Many new leagues surfaced while the old leagues treated the fans with some great entertainment. The cricketing calendar throughout the year was jam-packed with these leagues along with the usual international action. A few players managed to pull off some unbelievable shows in these T20 leagues. While some put their batting prowess on display, the others showed their skills with the ball. Considering a hypothetical situation, the ‘Best XI’ is formed taking nine different leagues in 2018 into consideration. The Big Bash League (BBL), Mzansi Super League (MSL), Global T20 Canada, Afghanistan Premier League (APL), T20 Blast, Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), Indian Premier League (IPL) were all considered. Over 30 players were shortlisted for this XI taking into consideration their performances. Since there are a lot many options available, average over 50 and being in the top-five leading run scorers was the cut-off criteria for the batsmen. For the bowlers, the number of wickets picked, the impact created, and the batsmen to whom they bowled was weighed. A few tough choices had to be made and some players had to be left out despite them pulling off transcendent performances. Here is the best T20 Leagues XI in 2018: 1. Aaron Finch | T20 Blast (Surrey) Aaron Finch of Surrey celebrates his century. (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images) Chris Gayle (BPL and APL), Shane Watson (BBL and IPL), D’Arcy Short (BBL), Hazratullah Zazai (APL) were all considered for the opening slot. However, it is Aaron Finch who runs away with the opening slot after the dream season for Surrey in the T20 Blast. Finch didn’t feature in the entire tournament. Yet, he managed to finish as the second highest run-scorer. While most of the other players played 14 to 16 games, this Australian only played 9 games. In these nine innings, he was unbeaten on five instances, scored two centuries and three half-centuries. He accumulated a total of 589 runs at an average of 147.25 and strike rate of 182.35. Finch was only 25 runs behind the leading run-scorer, Laurie Evans. 2. Quinton de Kock (wk) | MSL (Cape Town Blitz) Quinton de Kock. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Gallo Images) For the other opening slot, Reeza Hendricks (MSL), Mohammed Shahzad (APL), Luke Ronchi (PSL), KL Rahul (IPL), Alex Carey (BBL) were in the race. But, Quinton de Kock ends up owning this position as he also doubles up as a wicket-keeper and fits better into the dynamics of this XI. He was instrumental in taking the Cape Town Blitz to the final of the tournament after he rediscovered his lost form in the tournament. The Proteas wicket-keeper scored 412 runs in 8 games at an average of 58.85 and strike rate close to 170. He raced his way to three half-centuries and one century in the league. He also played one of the greatest T20 knocks ever when he scored 108 off 55 balls. From 83/0, his side was down to 101/8. Yet, they ended with 172/9 courtesy the wicketkeeper-batsman. 3. Kane Williamson (c) | IPL (Sunrisers Hyderabad) Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Kane Williamson. (Photo by IANS) The Sunrisers Hyderabad camp was devastated even before IPL 2018 started. Their skipper and one of the best performers with the bat, David Warner had to miss out on the tournament due to unpredictable circumstances. At this juncture, it was the Kiwi skipper Kane Williamson who showed the side some bright light at the other end of the tunnel. He took the responsibility and led the team from the front. No one could have ever imagined that a batsman like Williamson, who isn’t a massive hitter of the ball, would evolve so much in T20 cricket, all with sheer class. He scored 735 runs in 17 games at an average of 52.50 and strike rate of 142. Williamson hit eight fifties in the IPL and ended as the leading run-scorer. The 28-year-old will also lead this best T20 leagues XI. 4. Rassie van der Dussen | MSL (Jozi Stars) & GT20 Canada (Vancouver Knights) Rassie van der Dussen of Jozi Stars. (Photo Source: Twitter) Rassie van der Dussen has been quite a late bloomer in T20 cricket. This South African cricketer is quite legendary when it comes to domestic cricket. However, he has been rather unfortunate not to have got as many chances in the national team. His underwhelming strike rate in T20 cricket always came under scrutiny. But, he has now improved quite a bit on it and 2018 was quite a revelation for the 29-year-old. His best performances came in the MSL and the Global T20 Canada. In MSL, he was the leading run-scorer with 469 runs in 11 innings at an average of 58.62 and strike rate of 139. In Global T20 Canada, he finished second highest with 255 runs in 8 games at an average of 51. He consistently gets big scores which is one of his biggest strengths. 5. Laurie Evans | APL (Kabul Zwanan) & T20 Blast (Sussex) Laurie Evans. (Photo Source: Twitter) This flamboyant batting all-rounder had a dream season in 2018. Predominantly a batsman, Laurie Evans is highly capable with the ball as well and bowls right-arm fast-medium. With his big hitting prowess, he lit up both the Afghanistan Premier League and T20 Blast. Evans was the highest scorer in the T20 Blast with 614 runs in 14 innings at an average of 68 and strike rate of 136. In the APL, he scored 305 runs in 9 games at an average of 61 and strike rate of 143. He smashed 19 sixes in the tournament. 6. Shakib Al Hasan | BPL (Dhaka Dynamites) Shakib Al Hasan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Shakib Al Hasan is a very reliable T20 cricketer and also a veteran campaigner. The Bangladesh T20I skipper had a good Bangladesh Premier League 2018 season. He was terrific as a bowler and scored some useful runs with the bat. Shakib scored 211 runs in 13 games batting in the middle and lower-middle order. He registered a high score of an unbeaten 47 and scored his runs at a strike rate of 123. He registered much better numbers with the ball and ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer. The all-rounder picked up 22 wickets in as many games at an average of 13.22 and economy rate of 6.49. 7. Rishabh Pant | IPL (Delhi Daredevils) Delhi Daredevils’ Rishabh Pant in action. (Photo: Surjeet Yadav/IANS) Rishabh Pant was another top performer from the Indian Premier League (IPL). He can attack the bowlers right from the start and is a fierce hitter of the cricket ball. On the back of the great IPL performances, Pant was also picked in the Indian team and is a regular member of the side at the moment. This attacking left-hander scored 684 runs in 14 matches at an average of 52.61 and a strike rate of 174. Pant will be relieved of the keeping duties in this XI and will take up the role of a finisher coming in at number seven. 8. DJ Bravo | BBL (Melbourne Renegades) & MSL (Paarl Rocks) Dwayne Bravo of the Renegades celebrates. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images) DJ Bravo is one of the best T20 players around and is vastly experienced. He adds a great balance to any side that he is a part of. Bravo, now having retired from international cricket, is a part of almost every T20 league in the world. 2018 was quite a fruitful one for the all-rounder. Some of his better performances came in the Big Bash League and the Mzansi Super League. He picked up 18 wickets in 11 games in the BBL and 10 in 6 games in the MSL. He was critical with the bat for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL with some handy runs down the order. Bravo won a few games for the team all by himself and picked up 14 wickets in 16 games. 9. Rashid Khan | IPL (Sunrisers Hyderabad) & BBL (Adelaide Strikers) Rashid Khan of Sunrisers Hyderabad. (Photo by Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS) Undoubtedly, Rashid Khan is right there among the best leg-spinners in the world at the moment. Day after day, this 20-year-old is churning out some unbelievable performances. Just like the previous years, Rashid’s 2018 was also a very memorable one. The leg-spinner was the joint second highest wicket-taker in the IPL with 21 wickets in 17 matches at an average of 22 and economy under 7 which is terrific for T20 cricket. Earlier in the year, he had a good time in the BBL as well. Rashid picked up 18 wickets in 11 games down under at an economy of 5.65. 10. Andrew Tye | BBL (Perth Scorchers) & IPL (Kings XI Punjab) Kings XI Punjab’s Andrew Tye. (Photo by IANS) Andrew Tye is a great fit for T20 cricket. The Australian pacer has got tons of variations up his sleeve. He often chokes the batsmen with his different types of slower deliveries. Tye is highly accurate and bowls with great precision. Furthermore, he is a handy batsman down the order with the penchant to hit some huge sixes. The 32-year-old yielded some exceptional performances in the BBL and the IPL this year. In only six games, he accounted for 16 scalps in the Australian T20 League at an average of 12. Even though he is slightly on the expensive side, Tye’s knack of picking up regular wickets makes him so dangerous. He was the winner of the Purple Cap in IPL with 24 wickets in 14 matches. 11. Duanne Olivier | MSL (Jozi Stars) Duanne Olivier. (Photo Source: Twitter) Duanne Olivier is in this XI because of his marvelous exploits in the Mzansi Super League. He has played five Tests for the Proteas thus far. However, heavy competition amongst the pacers in the country has limited his opportunities. Yet, with his assaults in the league, he revived his stakes to make it into the national team again. Olivier is known for his accuracy and his unique bowling action helps him extract some natural swing. In nine innings, the pacer picked up 20 wickets at an average of 13.20 which makes him enough eligible for this XI. 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 XI of the year from all T20 leagues

Considering a hypothetical situation, the 'Best XI' is formed taking nine different leagues in 2018 into consideration.

5. Laurie Evans | APL (Kabul Zwanan) & T20 Blast (Sussex)

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