T20I team of the year

The year saw Sri Lanka claim the World T20 in Bangladesh. The man who led them to the triumph - Lasith Malinga is also our pick to lead its team of the year. Check out who else broke into the XI.

1. Alex Hales (12 matches, 397 runs at 36.09, strike-rate 142.80)

The England opener further enhanced his reputation as a T20 player by scoring the most runs in the year. His 116* off 64 balls against Sri Lanka in Chittagong during the World T20 helped England chase down 190 against eventual champions Sri Lanka. He also took 10 catches. The 25-year-old ended the year as the third best T20I batsman in the world.

2. Quinton de Kock (wk) (10 matches, 240 runs at 26.66, strike-rate 124.35)

The 22-year-old South African wicketkeeper-batsman scored four 40-plus scores. Not only was he effective with the bat, he was also up to the mark behind the wickets by taking seven catches to go with two stumpings. On several occasions, de Kock displayed he could shift gears quickly and that brought him plenty of attention.

3. Aaron Finch (13 matches, 390 runs at 32.50, strike-rate 134.02)

Playing his first T20I of the year, Finch smashed a 31-ball 52 to help Australia beat England by 13 runs. He went on to score fifties against Bangladesh (71) and Pakistan (65) in the World T20 and ended the year as the third highest scorer. He also finished as the second best batsman in the world.

4. Virat Kohli (7 matches, 385 runs at 96.25, strike-rate 133.68)

Virat Kohli had a great World T20. With scores of 36* 54, 57, 23, 72* and 77, he held India's flag high up in the batting department. That India made it to the final was largely because of Kohli who scored 319 runs at an average of 106.33. In his last T20I of the year, he scored 66 against England, in a losing cause though. Five fifties in seven matches also pushed him up to the No 1 spot in the rankings for batsmen.

5. JP Duminy (10 matches, 257 runs at 42.83, strike-rate 118.43)

Duminy is one of the few players in the world to be a regular in all three formats. His 86* off 43 balls against New Zealand at the World T20 helped South Africa to a thrilling two-run win. His also rolled his arm over as a part-time offspinner and often did a decent job.

6. Eoin Morgan (12 matches, 249 runs at 20.75, strike-rate 133.87)

Another man who helped England down Sri Lanka in the World T20 was Eoin Morgan who was instrumental in nullifying Ajantha Mendis. In the only T20I against India in September, Morgan smashed a 31-ball 71. The year also saw Morgan rise up to T20I and ODI captaincy roles.

7. Shakib Al Hasan (9 matches, 224 runs at 32, strike-rate 134.13, 11 wickets at 16.18, economy rate 5.71)

The Bangladesh allrounder had a good year with both bat and ball. His 66 off 52 balls was one of the few high points Bangladesh experienced in the World T20. He was also instrumental in Bangladesh bowling Afghanistan out for 72 with figures of 3 for 8. The No.1 T20I allrounder also found himself embroiled in a few controversies but they hardly affected his performance.

8. Lasith Malinga (capt) (9 matches, 12 wickets at 16, economy rate 6.43)

Once again, Malinga makes it to our T20I team of the year. He remains the most potent bowler in the format. Who can forget his death-overs bowling against India in the World T20 final! He didn't get any wickets yet managed to tether the likes of Kohli and MS Dhoni by conceding just nine runs in his last two overs. His bowling kept India quite a few runs short. In the semi-final against West Indies, Malinga took 2 for 5 and was was made captain in the later part of the tournament after Dinesh Chandimal failed to impress. He didn't disappoint one bit.

9. Nuwan Kulasekara (9 matches, 13 wickets at 17, economy rate 7.16)

Kulasekara was another bowler who in that final put the skids on India; it was he was who ended Yuvraj Singh's 21-ball 11. Barring one over in which Kohli took 16 runs off him, Kulasekara tested the India batsmen. In his last over he conceded just three runs to finish with 1 for 29. In the match against England previously, he was, with figures of 4 for 32, the only bowler who managed to escape the wrath of Hales and Morgan.

10. Krishmar Santokie (10 matches, 16 wickets at 14.62, economy rate 6.71)

Among medium-pacers, West Indian Santokie is the highest wicket-taker of the year. In the second T20I at home against England, the 30-year-old, who varies his pace a great deal, took a career-best 4 for 21. He took six wickets in two matches to help West Indies to a 2-1 win. In the World T20, Santokie continued his good form by taking eight wickets in five matches at an economy rate of 6.84.

11. Samuel Badree (12 matches, 19 wickets at 12.36, economy rate 5.00)

The West Indian legspinner is the highest wicket-taker this year. He took 11 wickets in the World T20 with a career-best 4 for 11 against Bangladesh. The fact that he managed to outshine fellow West Indian spinner Sunil Narine in most matches speaks volumes. The 33-year-old finished the year as the No.1 bowler in the world.