Quantcast

Our definitive ODI Team of the Year

After the ICC unveiled their line-up earlier this month, we picked our own best ODI XI for the 2016 calendar year with five Australians featuring

David Warner (Australia)

Matches: 23 | Runs: 1388 | 100s: 7 | 50s: 4 | Ave: 63.09 | SR: 105.47 | HS: 173

Warner tons up to continue incredible form

There have been few to dominate the one-day game like David Warner has in 2016, a year when he finally conquered the 50-over format like he has the longest and shortest forms of the game. The left-hander posted a remarkable seven centuries for the year (as well as two dismissals in the nineties), the most by any Australian in a calendar year and the equal second-most of any player worldwide. His centuries have come in Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean, and he's scored his runs at better than a run as ball as well.

Quinton de Kock (wk) (South Africa)

Matches: 17 | Runs: 857 | 100s: 3 | 50s: 3 | Ave: 57.13 | SR: 108.61 | HS: 178

De Kock puts world champs to the sword

England's Alex Hales is unlucky to miss out, but it's hard to go past Quinton de Kock as Warner's opening partner in our Team of the Year. The left-hander started the year with two centuries at home against England and added a third ton against Australia in September, an extraordinary 178 that was one of the performances of the year. Warner at one end and de Kock at the other - it's the stuff bowling nightmares are made of.

Steve Smith (Australia)

Matches: 26 | Runs: 1154 | 100s: 3 | 50s: 7 | Ave: 50.17 | SR: 89.18 | HS: 164

Smith breaks SCG record with brilliant 164

One of only two players this year with more than 1000 runs to his name, Smith failed to pass 20 only eight times out of 25 innings and averaged more than 50 in 2016. He plundered three centuries for the year, two of which came at home, but his consistency on difficult surfaces on the tour of the Caribbean in June was perhaps just as impressive. The right-hander posted scores of 52no, 74, 78 and 46 to end that tournament, while his 164 against NZ in Sydney - and the incredible catch that went with it - was one of the high points of the summer.

Virat Kohli (India) (c)

Matches: 10 | Runs: 739 | 100s: 3 | 50s: 4 | Ave: 92.37 | SR: 100.00 | HS: 154no

Clinical Kohli puts Kiwis to the sword

India's skipper played only 10 one-day matches in 2016, but he again underlined his status as one of the best in the 50-over format. The right-hander scored 45 or more in eight of his 10 innings for the year, notching back-to-back centuries in a run feast against Australia in January and then a magnificent 154no in a successful pursuit of 289 against New Zealand, more than half of his team's total. He now averages an incredible 90.10 in 59 successful run chases for India, and has been out in the middle for the winning runs on 20 occasions.

Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Matches: 11 | Runs: 656 | 100s: 3 | 50s: 2 | Ave: 59.63 | SR: 95.21 | HS: 123

Ali, Azam seal ODI series whitewash

A little more than 18 months since his international debut, Babar Azam earned a piece of history this year when he became just the seventh batsman in ODI cricket to smash hundreds in three consecutive matches. That they came against a wounded West Indies side in the UAE, where he scored a world record 360 runs in the three-match series, should not lessen the impact of his year. Back-to-back half-centuries against NZ in January proved he's able to perform away from home as well, and he will enter next month's series against Australia needed 114 runs in two innings to become the fastest in history to 1000 ODI runs.

Mitchell Marsh (Australia)

Matches: 23 | Runs: 642 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 4 | Ave: 42.80 | SR: 96.10 | HS: 102no | Wickets: 21 | Ave: 40.28 | Econ: 5.74 | SR: 42.0 | BBI: 3-32

Marsh boosts Australia with quickfire 76

While Marsh fell out of favour with Australia's Test side, 2016 was a breakthrough year for the allrounder with the bat. The right-hander posted his maiden international century in January and then steered his side to tense victories over New Zealand in Wellington (69no) and the West Indies in Barbados (79no). While those three knocks were mature and steadying performances, his 40-ball innings of 76no against NZ in December - including seven sixes - also showed his incredible hitting power at the end of an innings. And in the absence of any standout all-round performances this year, Marsh gets the nod as the allrounder in our side.

Jos Buttler (England)

Matches: 16 | Runs: 573 | 100s: 1 | 50s: 5 | Ave: 57.30 | SR: 129.93 | HS: 105

Silver service from England's Buttler

With a strike rate nearing 130 for the year, Jos Buttler adds plenty of firepower in the late overs for our Team of the Year. Buttler benefitted from some strong starts by England's top order in 2016, allowing him to swing freely on his way to a century and five fifties. The right-hander also broke an English ODI record, his 22-ball half-century against Pakistan at Trent Bridge turned into an unbeaten 90 from just 51 deliveries in a world record total.

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

Matches: 8 | Wickets: 17 | Ave: 14.64 | Econ: 3.63 | SR: 24.1 | BBI: 4-22

Image Id: F395ACCDF57F4CC8A0CD48DB6FCDB800

India's unorthodox paceman Jasprit Bumrah was a standout in 2016, his first year as an international player. While nine of his 17 wickets for the year came against Zimbabwe, it was his ability to keep scoring to a minimum that impressed us the most; he conceded more than 40 runs in an innings just once all year and his extraordinary economy rate of 3.63 is easily the best in the world for 2016.

John Hastings (Australia)

Matches: 15 | Wickets: 29 | Ave: 24.13 | Econ: 5.32 | SR: 27.1 | BBI: 6-45

Duke decisive with career-best haul

John Hastings started and ended the year out of Australia's ODI squad, but in between he produced his best year as an international player. The gutsy right-armer was superb in a run-heavy series against India in January and excelled in Sri Lanka, taking nine wickets at 12 in just three matches, including a career-best of 6-45. He also played a role with the bat, highlighted by his unbeaten 48 in a tense run chase against New Zealand in February.

Mitchell Starc (Australia)

Matches: 13 | Wickets: 26 | Ave: 14.64 | Econ: 3.63 | SR: 24.1 | BBI: 4-22

Starc sizzles with three wickets at the 'G

Injury restricted Mitchell Starc to just 13 ODIs in 2016, but he still added to his reputation as the best white-ball bowler in world cricket. After making his comeback from foot and ankle surgery on Australia's tour of the Caribbean in June, the left-armer was nearly unstoppable in Sri Lanka, taking 12 wickets for the series and then adding another six against NZ earlier this month.

Imran Tahir (South Africa)

Matches: 15 | Wickets: 27 | Ave: 25.00 | Econ: 5.15 | SR: 29.1 | BBI: 7-45

Tahir torments Aussie top-order

South Africa's excitable leggie Imran Tahir just gets the nod over Australian Adam Zampa as the frontline spinner in our team of the year. The 37-year-old went wicketless only three times this year, with a career-best of 7-45 against the West Indies in St Kitts - a South African record - the standout performance.

International cricket is more affordable than ever this summer, with adult tickets from $30, kids from $10 and family packages from $65 across every day of international cricket. Price for purchase at match. Transaction fee from $6.95 applies to online and other purchases. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.