3 players who were unfortunate to miss out in the ICC Men's ODI XI of the Year

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced its Men's ODI XI for 2022 on Tuesday, January 24. The governing body picked Pakistan skipper Babar Azam as the leader of the side.

The Men's ODI side recognizes 11 players who have performed consistently over the last calendar year. Two players each from India, Australia, New Zealand, and the West Indies are part of the team, while Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe have one representation each.

ICC Men's ODI team of 2022: Babar Azam (c), Travis Head, Shai Hope, Shreyas Iyer, Tom Latham (wk), Sikandar Raza, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Siraj, Trent Boult, and Adam Zampa.

While the squad look impeccable on paper, there were a few players who were unlucky not to be a part of the ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year. On that note, we take a look at three players who were unlucky to miss out.

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#3 Rassie van der Dussen - South Africa

Rassie van der Dussen has been rock solid in South Africa's middle order ever since he arrived in international cricket. A career average of almost 70 is enough to say that he has been phenomenally consistent with the bat.

However, he took his game a notch above last year, finishing with 476 runs in nine matches, hitting two centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 79.33. The right-handed batter slotted in at No. 6 beautifully, remaining unbeaten on three occasions out of nine games.

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#2 Akeal Hosein - West Indies

While he largely remains under the radar, Akeal Hosein is slowly and steadily taking a step in the right direction. He is gradually developing into a gun all-rounder who will serve West Indies cricket for a long time.

The left-arm spinner showed glimpses of his abilities last year, picking up 30 wickets in 20 games at an economy rate of 5.07 and an average of 30.76. He also scored 218 runs, including a half-century, at a strike rate of 82.26.

While the ICC Men's ODI team boasts the likes of Sikandar Raza and Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Akeal has surely given them a run for a place in the side.

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#1 Shubman Gill - India

Shubman Gill had a standout year in 2022, cementing his place in the ODI side ahead of senior opener Shikhar Dhawan.

Gill finished with the highest average among Indian batters in the last calendar year, aggregating 638 runs in 12 matches at an average of over 70, smashing one century and four fifties in the process. The young batter from Punjab was really unlucky not to be a part of this year's ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year.

The right-handed batter, meanwhile, has continued his merry form this year, having already scored 567 runs in six matches at an astronomical average of 113.40, including one double century and a hundred.

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