Team-wise best batter in T20Is of the year 2021

The year of 2021 was of T20 cricket as we finally witnessed a World Cup after a gap of over five years. Australia won the T20 World Cup 2021 due to the performance of a few key players. Much like the ODI World Cup 2015, Australia beat New Zealand to be crowned as the world’s new champion.

During the T20 WC 2021, we witnessed some of the best matches. But, it was not limited to the marquee event as players did deliver for their teams right throughout the year. Hence, in this article, we have named one best batter from the top ten teams who have performed exceptionally well this year.

Here are the best batter for the top ten teams in T20Is for the year 2021:

1. Rohit Sharma (India)

Rohit Sharma is the new limited-overs captain of the Indian cricket team, and he will be leading the team in the next T20 World Cup. In the T20 WC 2021, he became the third player to score 3000 runs in T20Is when he made 56 runs off 37 deliveries.

Rohit was the leading run-scorer for India in T20Is in 2021. He made 424 runs in 11 matches at an average of 38.54 and a strike rate of 150.88 and also made five half-centuries. Rohit is the only player to score over 400 runs in T20Is for India in 2021.

After Virat Kohli stepped down from the T20I captaincy, Indian selectors appointed Rohit as the team captain. His first assignment was a three-match series against New Zealand. Not only did India win the series under his leadership, but they also completed a whitewash over the Kiwis. Rohit made 159 runs in these three matches and won the player of the series award.

2. Devon Conway (New Zealand)

Currently, Devon Conway is at the seventh position in the Men’s T20I Player Rankings and is the highest-ranked player among all his colleagues. In 2021, Conway made 428 runs in 14 matches at an average of 47.55 and a strike rate of 135.01.

The left-hander, who mainly opens the innings for his team, was asked to bat in the middle order during the T20 WC 2021. He made 129 runs in six matches at an average of 32.25 and a strike rate of 108.40. He was demoted in the batting order because he is one of the few players in world cricket who can play spinners and fast bowlers at ease.

However, during the semi-final game against Pakistan, Conway sustained an injury, much to his dismay and agony. This led to him being ruled out of the final against Australia. None of the Blackcaps batters apart from Kane Williamson was able to score over 30 runs in the final. His absence was a massive blow to the team, which signifies the importance of Conway in the team.

3. Jos Buttler (England)

Jos Buttler is regarded as one of the finest player in modern cricket. Buttler was the leading run scorer for England in T20Is in 2021 as well as the T20 World Cup. In the T20 WC, he was the only player to hit a century.

Buttler has made 589 runs in 14 T20Is at an average of 65.44 and a strike rate of 143.30. Apart from making a century this year, he made five half-centuries in the shortest format of the game. In the T20 WC 2021, he made 269 runs in six matches at an average of 89.66 and a strike rate of 151.12.

He had the highest average among all the players in the T20 WC. His century that came against Sri Lanka made him the eighth player to score a century in the tournament’s history. Buttler is currently the number eighth player in ICC Rankings and the only English player to feature in the top ten list.

4. Mitchell Marsh (Australia)

Before the T20 WC, Australia toured New Zealand, West Indies, and Bangladesh and played five T20Is in each country. Apart from the five T20Is against New Zealand, Mitchell Marsh played a massive role in all the other tours, including the T20 WC 2021.

He made 219 runs in five matches at an average of 43.8 and a strike rate of 152.08 against the West Indies, including three half-centuries. Against West Indies, Marsh made 156 runs in five matches at an average of 31.2 and a strike rate of 98.73.

His best performance of 2021 came in the final of the T20 WC as he made 77 runs off 50 balls and helped Australia chase down the target of 173 runs in 18.5 overs. He won the player of the match award for this performance.

5. Aiden Markram (South Africa)

Aiden Markram’s T20I career is only 20 matches old. However, he has been a significant contributor to the team ever since he made his debut in March 2019. Markram made 570 runs in 18 T20Is in 2021 and was the leading run-scorer for South Africa.

During the T20 World Cup 2021, he emerged as the backbone of South Africa’s middle-order as he made 162 runs in five matches at an average of 54 and a strike rate of 145.94. He made two half-centuries for South Africa in the tournament.

Markram is the second player in the Men’s T20I Batting Rankings, with 796 rating points across his name. He is just 11 points away from the first-placed Dawid Malan.

6. Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)

Without a doubt, Mohammad Rizwan is not only the best batter in T20Is for Pakistan but in the entire world. Rizwan, who is placed in the fourth position in the ICC Rankings, is the leading run-scorer in T20Is.

He made 1326 runs in 29 T20Is for Pakistan at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89, including one century and 12 half-centuries. He became the first player to score over 1000 runs in a calendar year in T20Is.

Also, Rizwan made 2036 runs in T20s, which is again the most runs scored by a player in T20 cricket in a calendar year. He also became the first player to score over 2000 T20 runs. In the recently concluded three-match T20I series against West Indies, Rizwan made 203 runs at an average of 67.67 and a strike rate of 159.84 and won the player of the series award.

7. Mohammad Naim (Bangladesh)

Mohammad Naim is the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh in T20Is in 2021. He made 575 runs in 26 matches at an average of 23 and a strike rate of 100.34. He made three half-centuries, the most by a Bangladeshi player in 2021.

Naim was the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh in the T20 WC 2021 as well. He made 174 runs in seven matches at an average of 24.85 and a strike rate of 110.82. Naim made two half-centuries in the tournament against Oman and Sri Lanka.

Against Oman, Naim made 64 runs off 50 balls to take the team’s total to 153 runs in 20 overs. He made 62 runs off 52 balls against Sri Lanka, but his innings was not enough as Sri Lanka won that match by five wickets in 18.5 overs.

8. Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)

Nicholas Pooran is one of the brightest prospects for the West Indies team as he has been scoring runs for the Caribbean nation since making his debut. Pooran made 484 runs in 25 T20Is for West Indies in 2021.

In the T20 World Cup 2021, Pooran made 103 runs in five matches at an average of 20.60 and a strike rate of 135.52. His highest score was 46 runs against Sri Lanka on November 4.

Recently, Pooran was appointed the captain of the West Indies side that traveled to Pakistan. The team had several inexperienced players because some key players were unavailable for selection. Upon landing, a few players tested positive for Covid 19. Pooran led his team very effectively during the series and was brilliant with the bat as he made 108 runs in three matches.

9. Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)

Pathum Nissanka is the only Sri Lankan player to make over 300 runs in T20Is in 2021. He has made 302 runs in 12 matches at an average of 27.45 and a strike rate of 117.05, including three half-centuries.

Nissanka played a vital role for Sri Lanka in the T20 WC 2021. He made 221 runs in eight matches at an average of 27.62 and a strike rate of 117.55. Nissanka made three half-centuries in the tournament and guided his team to the second stage.

The 23-year-old batter made his T20I debut in March 2021 with his highest score of 72 runs coming against an experienced bowling lineup of South Africa. Nissanka, who opened the innings for Sri Lanka, took only 58 balls to reach this total. His innings took Sri Lanka to 142 runs, but it was not enough as South Africa won the match by four wickets.

10. Najibullah Zadran (Afghanistan)

Najibullah Zadran was the leading run-scorer for Afghanistan in T20Is in 2021. He made 256 runs in eight matches at an average of 42.66 and a strike rate of 143.82. He made three half-centuries in 2021.

In the T20 World Cup 2021, he made 172 runs in five matches and was the leading run-scorer for the team. He was the only Afghan player to score over 150 runs in the tournament.

His highest score of 73 runs in the T20 WC came against New Zealand on November 7. He took 48 balls to reach this figure. However, he was the only player to score a half-century for Afghanistan in the match as they made only 124 runs in 20 overs. New Zealand won this match by eight wickets and knocked both Afghanistan and India out of the tournament.