Sportskeeda Cricket Awards 2018: T20I XI Of The Year

Ever since the inaugural World T20 held in South Africa in 2007, the popularity of the T20 format has grown leaps and bounds. From teams playing just a handful of T20Is each year back then to having full-fledged bilateral series today, the shortest format of the game is here to stay.

There was plenty of T20 cricketing action which had everyone talking throughout the year.

With 2018 coming to an end, we take a look at the best XI from the T20Is which took place over the course of the year.

Note: Only T20 Internationals have been considered. Franchise based T20 leagues and domestic cricket have not been taken into account.

Openers:

Shikhar Dhawan

Shikhar Dhawan's T20I credentials were questioned by many. However, the 33-year-old from Delhi shut his critics up with some magnificent performances throughout the year.

He was the top-scorer during India's tour to South Africa and the recently concluded T20I series against Australia as well. He was also India's top-scorer in the Nidahas Trophy earlier this year.

He ends 2018 as the overall top run-getter, with 689 runs to his name in 18 matches, which includes six half-centuries.

Aaron Finch

The Australian T20I captain was in great form this year, despite Australia not performing well in this format of the game. After winning the tri-series against England and New Zealand at the beginning of the year, they failed to win a single series.

However, Finch was one of the biggest positives from Australia's campaign, scoring 531 runs in 17 matches at an average of above 40. He scored a stupendous 172 against Zimbabwe, thus breaking numerous records along the way, and also struck two half-centuries over the course of the year.

Colin Munro

New Zealand's Colin Munro was in terrific form this year, smashing almost every bowler he faced out of the park. He was a hot deal in the franchise-based T20 leagues as well, playing a big part for the teams he signed for.

His strike-rate of 178 is one of the best this year and it was this destructive hitting of his which made him so lethal. Overall, he scored 500 runs in 12 matches at an average of 45.45.

Babar Azam

Pakistani middle-order batsman Babar Azam had a great year, with a stupendous average of 62.55. Overall, Pakistan had a lot of positives in the shortest format of the game, winning every T20I series they played.

Babar scored 563 runs in 12 matches with six half-centuries to his name. He is currently ranked no. 1 in the T20I rankings for batsmen.

Mushfiqur Rahim(wk)

The 31-year-old from Bangladesh was one of the best batsmen this year for his country. He was solid in the middle-order and provided a lot of stability to his side. Bangladesh, however, did not have a great year in this format, winning just one series against the Windies.

Rahim ended the year with 397 runs to his name in 13 matches at an average of slightly above 30 with three half-centuries to his name.

Glenn Maxwell

The swashbuckling Australian batsman was back to his best this year, scoring plenty of runs in the shortest format of the game. He began the year with an exemplary performance in the tri-series against England and New Zealand and followed that up with consistent performances through the year.

Overall, he scored 506 runs in 18 innings with one century and two half-centuries to his name.

Shakib Al Hasan

Bangladeshi all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan continued to impress everybody with his performances with the ball and bat this year. He has been an integral part of Bangladesh's squad for many years now and will hope to continue performing well for the next few years as well.

He underwent surgery on his finger towards the end of the year but came back strong.

Overall, he scored 248 runs and picked up 15 wickets in the 11 matches he played.

Shadab Khan

After bursting onto the scene in 2017, there has been no looking back for Pakistan's leg-spinning sensation Shadab Khan. He was one of the main reasons behind Pakistan's success in the shortest format of the game this year.

He had a phenomenal year, picking up 28 wickets in 19 matches at an average of 17.42 and a great economy rate of 6.62. He ends the year as the leading wicket-taker amongst spinners.

Rashid Khan

The leg-spinning sensation from Afghanistan continued to impress with his performances this year. He was lethal with the ball and came up with a few surprise performances with the bat as well.

Afghanistan did not play as much T20 cricket as the other nations but Rashid made an impact in the 8 matches he played, picking up an astonishing 22 wickets at an average of below 9.

Andrew Tye

Australia's death-bowling specialist Andrew Tye had a great year with the ball, picking up 31 wickets in 18 matches, thus ending up as the highest wicket-taker of the year. However, his economy rate of 8.56 was on the higher side.

He will hope to continue picking up a lot of wickets next year as well and at the same time, not leak too many runs.

Keemo Paul

West Indies' Keemo Paul had a breakthrough year in 2018 and ended it as his side's leading wicket-taker in the shortest format of the game.

A right-arm pacer who made his mark in the Under-19 World Cup in 2016, Paul made his senior debut this year and has grown from strength to strength ever since. He picked up 17 wickets in 13 matches, including a 5-wicket haul against Bangladesh.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram