BBL 2019-20: Cricket Australia names the team of the tournament

Cricket Australia, on Wednesday, announced the Best XI of the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL). The ninth edition of the league is now in its business end. In yet another exhilarating season, the five finalists for the ongoing season were only confirmed in the last over of the last match of the regular season. Adelaide Strikers, Hobart Hurricanes, Sydney Thunder, Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars have made it to the next round.

Hobart Hurricanes will take on Sydney Thunder in the Eliminator while Melbourne Stars will take on Sydney Sixers in the Qualifier. And as the league stage of the BBL came to an end on Monday, Cricket Australia revealed the names of the best eleven players of the ongoing season. They stuck to the BBL rules that only two internationals can be included in the playing eleven.

Rashid Khan- the lone specialist spinner

Melbourne Stars’ Marcus Stoinis and Hobart Hurricanes’ Matthew Wade will open the innings for the star-studded side. After losing his place in the Australian team, Stoinis has proved his detractors wrong with a stunning batting performance this season. So far, he has scored 607 runs in 14 games with the best score of 147 not out.

Wade, on the other hand, took just eight matches to make it to the team. After playing for Australia’s Test side in the summer, he joined the Hurricanes and hit the ground running. The southpaw has so far scored 337 runs with the help of one century and three half-centuries. Perth Scorchers’ Josh Inglis is at number three and will also don the wicketkeeping gloves after scoring 405 runs in addition to effecting nine dismissals so far.

Melbourne Stars captain Glenn Maxwell is at number four. Just like Stoinis, Maxwell also did not make it to Australia’s ODI team for the tour of India but has been in red-hot form this season. He has made an impact with both bat and ball. With the bat, he has scored 373 runs at a strike-rate of over 156 in addition to picking up seven wickets.

Adelaide Strikers’ Jonathan Wells is at number five for scoring 444 runs in 14 games and is followed by Perth Scorchers’ captain Mitchell Marsh who has scored 383 runs and picked up five wickets. In the bowling department, Cricket Australia has picked four pacers and one spinner. Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan is the sole spinner in the team and can also be a handy batsman. Highest wicket-taker of the season Daniel Sams, veteran pacer Peter Siddle, Nathan Ellis and Haris Rauf are the pacers in the team.

Here’s the best BBL team:

Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Jonathan Wells, Mitchell Marsh, Rashid Khan, Daniel Sams, Peter Siddle, Nathan Ellis, Haris Rauf