Sportskeeda's T20I XI of 2017

Middle-order batsmen

Virat Kohli (India)

With 299 runs in 10 matches, Virat Kohli is India's leading T20I run-scorer in 2017. Kohli, who broke numerous batting records at will in the last twelve months, was at his imperious best in the shortest format of the game as well.

The 29-year-old overtook Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan to become the second highest run-scorer in T20Is and also became the third batsman overall and first Indian to hit 200 fours in the shortest format of the game.

The Team India skipper, who made his T20I debut in 2010, also brought up the most number of 50-plus scores in twenty-over format, with 18 to his name.

Shoaib Malik (Pakistan)

Shoaib Malik, Pakistan's specialist in the shortest format of the game, leapfrogged Umar Akmal and became his country's leading run-scorer in the T20Is with 1,821 runs in 92 matches.

Malik, who recently hit six sixes in an over during a ten-over charity match, holds the record of being part of most T20I wins during his career.

In 2017, Malik scored 273 runs in 10 matches and also became the second Pakistani player after Shahid Afridi to hit 200-plus sixes in twenty-over cricket during the third T20I against World XI at Lahore.

AB de Villiers (South Africa)

The quintessential limited-overs middle-order batsman AB de Villiers is an automatic selection for this spot.

With 304 runs in seven matches, De Villiers recorded an average of 50.66 and an enviable strike rate of 152.00.

The 33-year-old's highest T20I score of the year came in June against England at Southampton when he remained unbeaten on 65 off 58 balls.

AB, who has ten T20I fifties under her belt, scored two of them in 2017.