Best ODI XI of 2022

Best ODI XI of 2022. Since the participating nations of the T20 World Cup, 2022 were more focused on the marquee tournament, the 50-over ODI format took a back seat, and many teams like England and India fielded their second-string sides in the ODI matches.

ODI cricket continues to be left in the wilderness amid the amount of T20Is played, the rise in T20 leagues, and Test cricket. Part of the attractiveness of the T20 World Cup 2022 was the battle between bat and ball. This needs to be replicated in the 50 overs ODI cricket where pitches are often flat.

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The likes of Pakistan’s Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen, and Quinton de Kock, Australia’s David Warner and Steve Smith, England’s Jonny Bairstow, India’s Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson are in the top 10 rankings for batters according to ICC.

The likes of New Zealand’s Trent Boult, Australia’s Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, New Zealand’s Matt Henry, Pakistan’s Shaheen Shah Afridi, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, Australia’s Adam Zampa, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman and Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman are in the top 10 rankings for bowlers according to ICC.

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However, all-rounders Sikandar Raza and Mehidy Hasan Miraz shone with their performances in ODIs in 2022 and have been included in the best ODI XI of 2022 along with batters Babar Azam, Shubman Gill, Travis Head, Shreyas Iyer, Tom Latham, Alzarri Joseph, Trent Boult, Adam Zampa and Mohammed Siraj in best ODI XI of 2022.

Best ODI XI of 2022

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

The Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has led from the front in the ODIs this calendar year and scored 679 runs in nine matches averaging 84.88 at a strike rate of 90.77, which includes three centuries. Babar Azam has been rock-solid at the top of the order and held the innings together.

The ace batter’s presence at the crease has allowed stroke makers around him to play with freedom. Babar Azam will certainly make the cut for the best ODI XI of 2022, for hitting 114 and 105* against Australia and 103 against West Indies-3 tons in consecutive ODIs in 2022. He warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

Shubman Gill (India)

The Punjab-born Shubman Gill has featured in 12 ODI games in the 50-over format and notched up 638 runs that too at an impressive strike rate of 102.57, which includes four half-centuries and one century. He was recalled in 2022 after playing only 3 ODIs in 2019 and 2020 and he managed 638 runs averaging 70.89.

Shubman Gill was Man of the series in the ODI series against West Indies and Zimbabwe where he amassed 205 and 245 runs respectively averaging 102.5 and 122.5.

The ace batter has put up an exhibition of his elegant stroke play time and again and put top-drawer bowling attacks under the pump. Due to consistent performances, Shubman Gill has kept himself in contention for the opening slot for the 2023 World Cup.  He warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

Shreyas Iyer (India)

Shreyas Iyer has been quite magnificent in the 50-over format this year and has piled on runs for fun. He has featured in 17 ODI matches and scored 724 runs at a superb average of 55.69.

He has steadied the ship when the team has been in choppy waters and shepherded the innings beautifully. He warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022. He scored his career-best 113* against South Africa in October 2022.

Travis Head (Australia)

Travis Head’s stocks in the ODIs have been on a meteoric rise of late. He has dismantled top-drawer bowling attacks with his swashbuckling stroke play and has been a game-changer for his side. In 2022, he featured in nine matches and accumulated 550 runs at a strike rate of 112.24 and an average of 68.75.

Travis Head was in great nick in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England and hammered the opposition’s bowling line-up all around the park. He scored 240 runs in three games at a strike rate of 111.62, including an exquisite knock of 152 runs in 130 deliveries in the final game of the series.

Travis Head’s dashing return to Australia’s one-day side after an almost three-and-a-half-year hiatus has already given the national selection panel something to chew on as preparations for next year’s 2023 ODI World Cup begin coming into focus.

Tom Latham (New Zealand)

The wicketkeeper-batter Tom Latham has been quite remarkable in the ODIs this calendar year and piled on 558 runs in 15 games at a strike rate of 101.27. Slotting in at the middle order, Tom Latham has read the game situation well and adapted accordingly. He has withered the storm when the team has been in trouble and also displayed the aggressive aspect of his game when needed to demolish bowling attacks. Tom Latham warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

The Kiwi batter has played some blistering knocks in 2022 and one of the most prominent of them came in the first game of the three-match ODI series against India. Chasing 307, Tom Latham arrived into the crease with his team three-down for 88 and the opposition dictating terms. The Canterbury-born took his time to get his eye in and then knocked the wind off the Indian bowling attack, smashing 145* runs off 104 deliveries to take New Zealand across the line.

Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)

The ace all-rounder Zimbabwe’s Pakistan batter Sikandar Raza has been quite remarkable in the 50-over format this calendar year, especially with the bat. The flamboyant batter has played 15 ODIs and smashed 645 runs at an average of 49.61. Also, he has bagged eight wickets in those outings at an economy of 5.03. He warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh)

The Khulna-born Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz has shown his all-round prowess in the ODIs in 2022. He has strangled batters with his consistent lines and lengths and picked up 24 scalps in 15 games at an economy of 5.44. On the batting front, Mehidy Hasan Miraz has played crucial knocks slotting in at lower down the order and scored 330 runs at a strike rate of 84.18. The all-rounder warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

The 25-year-old was quite exceptional in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against India, especially with the bat. In the first game, he played a crucial knock under extreme pressure, scoring 38* runs in 39 balls and stitching a 51-run stand for the tenth wicket with Mustafizur Rahman to take his team across the line.

In the second ODI, Mehidy Hasan Miraz arrived at the crease with Bangladesh in a spot of bother at 69 for 6 and took the Indian bowling attack to the cleaners, smashing a brilliant century in 83 deliveries to take his team to a competitive total of 271, which proved enough by 5 runs.

Alzarri Joseph (West Indies)

In 2022, Alzarri Joseph has been quite sensational in the 50-over format. He has been the go-to man for the West Indies when in need of wickets and has delivered on most occasions. The ace pacer has rattled batters with his express pace and picked up 27 wickets in 17 ODIs at an economy of 4.61. Also, he has contributed 142 runs with the bat at an average of 20.28. The pacer warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

Adam Zampa (Australia)

In 2022, Adam Zampa has been simply stunning in the 50-over format. He has bamboozled batters with his variations and has been a major strike force in the middle phases of the innings. The ace leg-spinner has played 12 ODIs and bagged 30 wickets at an economy of 4.99.

Adam Zampa weaved his magic in the three-match ODI series against England as he took 11 scalps in three games at an economy of 5.13. The Australian spinner warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

Trent Boult (New Zealand)

Trent Boult has displayed a swing-bowling masterclass in the 50-over format this calendar year and destroyed top-drawer batting line-ups for fun. Though the ace pacer has featured in mere six ODIs, he has taken a total of 18 wickets at an excellent economy of 3.98.

In the ODI series against the Aussies, the veteran pacer wreaked havoc with the ball and bagged 10 wickets in three games, including two four-wicket hauls. The pacer warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

Mohammed Siraj (India)

In 2022, the 28-year-old pacer Mohammed Siraj featured in 15 ODIs and bagged 24 wickets at an economy of 4.62. Mohammed Siraj made the ball talk at the start of the innings and has provided India with early breakthroughs. He has been equally brilliant in the middle and death overs, stemming the flow of runs and providing timely wickets.

Whenever the veteran duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami has been unavailable, Mohammed Siraj has been entrusted to lead the pace attack and he has done the job with perfection. The pacer warrants a place in the best ODI XI of 2022.

Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav | Sanju Samson | Shreyas Iyer | Yuzvendra Chahal | Jasprit Bumrah