Year in Review: ODI Team of the year 2013

Middle Order

4. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

The run-machine in action!

He has been the backbone of Sri Lankan cricket for some time now. The team has been revolving around him and it will be justified if he is labelled as one of the modern day greats.

Sanga’s approach to the game has been methodical and calculative and he has certainly developed the art of converting starts into bigger scores. Accumulating almost 1200 runs at an astonishing average of 65.50 with a healthy strike rate of 91, he has been the most consistent ODI player of the year.

5. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan)

The pillar of Pakistan batting!

Fondly called as ‘Tuk-Tuk’ in his country, Pakistan batting starts and ends with him. He has been more of a fighter, often playing the role of a saviour with the bat. Aggression doesn’t come naturally to the Pakistan skipper, but he has also managed to switch gears to help his team’s run-rate.

He has scored more runs than anyone else this year, but a century has always remained out of his gasp. He has dished out as many as 27 sixes this season and is the only player to cross the 1300 run mark at an average of more than 55 runs per match. Misbah has the habit of going when the going gets tough.

6. MS Dhoni (India) (C & WK)

Captain Fantastic!

It has now simply become a tradition to leave the captain’s role of any ODI World XI to Dhoni, with his tactics and composure already making him one of the greatest to have played the game. He has been himself this season, finishing off things in style with an average of 63, including a fabulous century against the Aussies in a match where the Indian top-order crumbled.

He has been pretty much shrewd as a captain often utilising the best out of his resources. The Champions Trophy triumph was certainly another feather to his glorious cap. Add his clever wicket-keeping skills to that and feel the true worth of MSD!

7. Ryan McLaren (South Africa)

Mclaren has turned to be a key member of the Proteas side!

McLaren will not feature in the list of best batsmen, bowlers or all-rounders. But as a contributor, McLaren has been top-notch. In an ODI line-up he could be that crucial No.7 that would suffice any team. He has been able to break partnerships and has always delivered the quota of the fifth bowler.

With the bat, he has played a few cameos when needed and at times, he has raised his game for resurrecting the innings from scratch. With 372 runs at 28.6 and 45 wickets at 23.7, McLaren has definitely been the all-rounder of the year.