Best T20 XI of 2014

Ever since the T20 format made its debut on the international stage in 2005, it has caught the eye of the cricketing world. Given the fact that it is a frenzied format, things often happen in a hustle and that is exactly what leaves the spectators spellbound. Today, this format has reached its zenith as there are numerous T20 leagues around the world. In addition to that, the biennial World T20 and the several T20Is played during the course of a year add an international fervour to this format.Now that the year 2014 has gone by, we, at Sportskeeda, have picked the T20 team of the past year. This team has been picked on the basis of the performance of players in both T20 internationals as well as the various T20 leagues around the world.Let’s take a look at the players who have made the cut:

#1 Aaron Finch

2014 was one year that Aaron Finch will remember for a long time. The Australian opener had a stellar year in both ODIs and T20s (both league and international). In T20Is, Finch was the second highest run-scorer in 2014 with an aggregate of 390 runs at an impressive average of 32.50 and a strike rate of 134.02. He was very consistent in T20 leagues as well, as he scored 782 runs at an average of 30.07 and a scoring rate of 125.12.

Finch’s aggressive intent can be gauged from the fact that with 161 boundaries, he sits fourth on the list of highest boundary scorers in T20s in 2014. Just like a certain Virender Sehwag, the 28-year-old looks to go after the bowlers from the word go in a bid to unsettle them. Moreover, he can chip in with a few overs of slow left-arm bowling in the middle overs to slow things down. He is also a very good fielder and can save a few valuable runs for the team.

#2 Brendon McCullum (C)

Brendon McCullum occupies the other opener’s slot. He is also the captain of the team, having led New Zealand to 5 victories in 7 games in 2014. In T20Is, Baz, as McCullum is known, scored 223 runs at an impressive average of 37.16. His strike rate of 133.53 indicates that he got these runs in real quick time. In the IPL too, which happens to be the only domestic league that McCullum played in 2014, he was strikingly effective as he scored 405 runs at an average of 31.15 and a strike rate of 121.62.

Just like his opening partner Finch, Baz likes to go after the bowlers from the word go and can help his team get off to a flier in the powerplay overs. Though the Kiwi skipper is very aggressive as a batsman, he is equally calm and composed when it comes to his captaincy, which is exactly what is required amidst the hustle and bustle of a T20 game. Moreover, he is a very experienced T20 campaigner, having played a colossal 267 games in the format.

#3 Glenn Maxwell

Having shown a lot of promise in the first couple of years of his international career, Glenn Maxwell finally lived up to his promise in 2014. In T20Is played in 2014, he scored 241 runs at an average of 20.08 and at a whopping strike rate of 175.91. Though the “Big Show” was impressive in T20Is, it was in the T20 leagues, particularly the IPL, where he stole the show. As far as the T20 leagues are concerned, Maxwell amassed 882 runs at an average of 24.50 and, yet again, at a bullish strike rate of 168.

It was in the IPL that the 26-year-old was particularly on song. In 16 games, he smashed 552 runs at an average of 34.50 and a blazing scoring rate of 187.75. Another noteworthy statistic is that with 70 sixes, Maxwell happens to be the batsman with most sixes in 2014. Given that he is also a more than decent off-spinner, he can bowl a few overs to take some pressure off the frontline bowlers, particularly if there is some assistance from the wicket. He is also an excellent fielder who can be expected to save a few runs for the team pretty much every time he takes the field.

#4 Suresh Raina

If there is one batsman who epitomises consistency in T20 cricket, it has to be Suresh Raina. Be it the IPL or T20Is, Raina always comes good in this format. He does not have many runs to his name in T20Is played in 2014. The reason for that, however, is the fact that he bats very low down the order in the Indian team. Moreover, India does not play too many T20Is. His combined figures in T20s in 2014 (both league and international) read 845 runs at an average of 42.25 and an excellent strike rate of 150.08.

The most noticeable attribute of his batting is that he is a busy player. Even if he’s not getting the boundaries, he’ll keep the scoreboard ticking by way of ones and twos. However, he is at his attractive best when he is hitting boundaries. His knock of 87 off just 25 balls in the second playoff vs Kings XI Punjab was an absolute masterpiece and has surely gone down as one of the best knocks seen in the IPL. He is an excellent fielder and can be pretty handy with his off-spin bowling, too.

#5 AB de Villiers (WK)

AB de Villiers is easily one of the most versatile batsmen playing the game at the moment. He has this incredible ability to mould his game as per the match situation. Yes, he does not feature in the list of highest run-scorers in T20 cricket in 2014. However, that is mainly because he featured in just 20 games throughout the year. Even in the 20 games that he played, he had a significant impact as he scored 535 runs at an average of 35.67 and an excellent strike rate of 158.28.

The most notable aspect of his batting is his ability to send the ball to all parts of the ground with nonchalant, consummate ease. He can provide an ideal finish to the innings with the wide variety of strokes that he can play. His innings of 69 off just 28 balls against England in a group game of the World T20 is a case in point. He is also pretty good behind the stumps as he gobbles up almost everything that comes his way.

#6 David Miller

I was once watching a game that David Miller was playing. The camera focus went to a member of the crowd who held a placard that read, “I will shell out my every dime, to witness the magic of MILLER TIME.” This statement itself gives a fair idea of how entertaining Miller’s batting can be. With an array of excellent batsmen in the South African team, he often bats lower down the order, and therefore, he does not have too many runs against his name in T20 internationals However, with 1135 runs at an average of 42.03 and an excellent strike rate of 142.58, Miller finished fourth on the list of highest run-scorers in T20s played in 2014.

Of the 44 innings he played in 2014, he remained unbeaten in 17 of them which clearly indicates how good a finisher he is. Though he was part of a Kings XI Punjab team in the IPL that was full of superstars like Glenn Maxwell and Virender Sehwag, he managed to steal the thunder by way of his excellent finishing. He is also an excellent fielder and can, therefore, be effectively deployed anywhere in the field as per the need of the game.

#7 Dwayne Bravo

Considering Dwayne Bravo’s ability to deliver with both bat and ball, he becomes an invaluable asset to any T20 side in the world. Given that he usually bats towards the dying stages of an innings, his tally of 167 runs in 9 T20I innings at a strike rate of 124.62 is pretty good. In domestic T20s, Bravo scored 551 runs at an average of 29 and a strike rate of 133.73. He is one player that the team can bank upon to provide a solid finish.

When it comes to bowling, the 31-year-old can be a handful with a wide number of variations in his repertoire. In 2014, he picked up 27 wickets at an average of 39.14 and an economy rate of 8.27. Yes, his economy rate was on the higher side, but that is mainly because he often bowls in the death overs of an innings. On a slightly different note, he also brings a coolness quotient to the team with his natural Caribbean flair which is very evident from his wacky celebrations.

#8 Mitchell Starc

Possessing a lethal combination of pace and swing, Mitchell Starc is one of the most dangerous bowlers in world cricket today. In 2014, Starc picked up 10 wickets in 9 T20Is at an average of 23 and an economy rate of 7.40. As far as domestic T20s are concerned, the 24-year old picked up 19 wickets at an average of 26.10 and an economy rate of 7.58. Given that he can swing the new ball as well as bowl yorkers with consummate ease, he can be relied upon to deliver for the team either up front or in the death overs.

Starc is the quintessential fast bowler with a no-nonsense attitude and is never shy of having a word with the batsmen. Given that he also has the ability to strike a few lusty blows, he can be a handy batsman lower down the order, not to overlook his surprising agility in the field.

#9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Given his ability to prodigiously swing the ball both ways, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is undoubtedly one of the best swing bowlers in world cricket today. He also has a knack of picking up early wickets and jolting the opposition. Moreover, given his impeccable line and length, he gives very little away. All in all, he has everything that a captain looks for in a bowler. In 6 T20Is played in 2014, Kumar picked up 4 wickets at an average of almost 26 and an excellent economy rate of 5.42.

Bhuvneshwar’s IPL numbers are pretty good too. In 14 games, he picked up 20 wickets at an average of 17.70 and an economy rate of 6.65. The reason why Kumar can be a very dangerous bowler is that he can move the ball both ways and can, therefore, set a batsman up quite nicely. His bowling, however, is not just about swinging the ball as he has also worked on improving his yorkers in recent times, making him an increasingly useful weapon in the death overs of a T20 innings.

#10 Sunil Narine

It’s been well over 3 years since Sunil Narine burst onto the cricketing scene. However, he still very much remains a mystery spinner as a majority of the batsmen are yet to figure him out. And well, what adds to the aura of Narine is the fact that he goes about his business in an absolutely nonchalant manner, as if it’s the simplest thing to do in the world. His efficacy can be gauged from the fact that, in a format where a maiden is difficult to come by during the course of a normal innings, he bowled a maiden in a super over versus the T&T Red Steel in the CPL last season.

With 66 wickets in 49 games at an excellent average of 16.03 and an even better economy rate of 5.62, Narine topped the list of leading wicket-takers in 2014. He was also extremely instrumental in his IPL franchise KKR’s triumph last season, finishing up as the second highest wicket-taker with 21 wickets from 16 matches.

#11 Lasith Malinga

Such is the impact of Lasith Malinga in this format that any T20 team will be incomplete without his services. His biggest asset is his ability to bowl yorkers with unbelievable regularity. And over the years, he has just gotten better and better at it. This was on view when he stemmed the flow of runs against the likes of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh during the latter stages of the World T20 final in Bangladesh. In T20Is, Malinga picked up 12 wickets at an average of 16 and an economy rate of 6.43. Given that a major chunk of his overs came in the powerplay and at the death, these numbers are really commendable.

In other T20s, the Sri Lankan skipper scalped 26 wickets at an average of 21.19 and an economy rate of 6.40. He is pretty versatile as a bowler and can be effectively used up front, in the middle overs or in the death overs depending on the situation of the match. He can also use the long handle to good effect and can, therefore, be quite handy with the bat as well. He also successfully led the Sri Lankan team to its maiden World T20 title during the year.

#12 JP Duminy (12th Man)

JP Duminy is one of the most understated, yet consistent, players in world cricket today. Whenever South Africa find themselves in trouble in T20 cricket, Duminy puts his hand up and rises to the occasion. With 257 runs at an average of 42.83 and a strike rate of 118.43, JP finished eighth on the list of highest run-scorers in T20 internationals in 2014. In the most recent World T20, he played one of the best innings of his career against New Zealand. When he walked out to bat, South Africa were in deep trouble at 42/3 in 6.4 overs. Duminy, however, rescued the innings with a knock of 86* off just 43 balls as he guided his team to a total of 170 in 20 overs, which proved to be just enough in the end.

As far as his numbers in domestic T20 leagues are concerned, the 30-year-old scored 645 runs at an excellent average of 46.07 and a healthy strike rate of 130.04. Similar to his compatriot AB de Villiers, Duminy has the unique ability of adjusting his game to suit the situation of a particular match. He can also contribute a few handy overs to the team with his off-spin, and is considered one of the best fielders in world cricket today.