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India's middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav was named the captain of ICC Men's T20I team of the year, which also includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi, and Arshdeep Singh. In the ICC Women’s T20I team of the Year, all-rounder Deepti Sharma is the only Indian player to be included.
Suryakumar has been named in the Men’s T20I team of the year for a second straight year and is currently in the running for T20I Men’s Cricketer of the Year. His first innings of 2023 was just seven against Sri Lanka.
He bounced back with scores of 51 (36) and 112 not out (51) in the next two matches. Consistent scoring in 20s to 40s continued, before an innings of 83 (44) against the West Indies in Providence reminded everyone of his capabilities in the shortest format. He ended the series against the West Indies with a knock of 61 (45) in Florida.
Joining him in the ICC Men’s T20I team of the year is Jaiswal, who made his T20I debut for India in 2023. The left-handed aggressive opener has made 430 runs in 14 knocks at a strike rate of 159.
After a blip on debut against the West Indies, Jaiswal hit back with a 51-ball 84 not out in Florida, before moving his attention to the Asian Games, making an even 100 off just 49 balls against Nepal in India’s gold-medal winning campaign.
Leg-spinner Bishnoi took 18 wickets in just 44 overs across the year, and was even ranked at the top of the ICC Men’s T20I bowler rankings. Bishnoi travelled on India’s tour of Ireland, taking four wickets across two matches, before being picked in the Asian Games squad to compete in Hangzhou, taking five wickets, including 3/24 against Nepal.
He then claimed a wicket in every match against the Aussies, with back-to-back spells of 3/32 and 2/32 hammering his name into the team and also taking the Player of the Series award.
Other players who made the cut in Men’s T20I team of the year include England opener Phil Salt, West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran, New Zealand batter Mark Chapman, Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza, Uganda spinner Alpesh Ramjani, Ireland pacer Mark Adair and Zimbabwe fast-bowler Richard Ngarava.
Other players who made the cut in Women’s T20I team of the year includes Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, Australia wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney, as well as pacer Megan Schutt and all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner, South Africa batter Laura Wolvaardt, West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, England vice-captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr.
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