Iceland Cricket reveal their World T20I XI of 2022; Virat Kohli & Babar Azam to open

As the year 2022 is about to finish, Iceland Cricket announced their World T20 XI featuring the cricketers who impressed with their performances this year. Iceland went with a maximum of four players from India while one each from England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Australia and Ireland.

Starting with the openers, Iceland picked the two most consistent batters in world cricket – Virat Kohli and Babar Azam. Notably, Kohli, who has already accomplished the legendary status, is the highest run-scorer in the history of T20Is. The Indian superstar has over 4000 runs to his name from 115 matches at an outstanding average of 52.73, including one hundred and 37 half-centuries. When it comes to 2022, Kohli has scored 781 runs in 20 games, at an average of 55.78, with the help of one century and 8 fifties.

Similarly, Babar has been quite exceptional as well in the shortest format. The Lahore-born batter has over 3500 runs to his credit in 99 matches. In terms of 2022, the Pakistan skipper has scored 735 runs from 26 games, including one ton and five fifties.

Following Kohli and Babar, Iceland picked New Zealander Glenn Phillips and Indian batting sensation Suryakumar Yadav at number three and four, respectively. Surya has been phenomenal ever since his debut for Team India. The right-handed batter is the only player to score more than 1000 runs this year. He has amassed 1164 runs from 31 matches at an average of 46.56 with the help of two centuries and nine half-tons. When it comes to Phillips, the wicketkeeper-batter has 716 runs to his name in the shortest format this year in 21 games, including one hundred and six fifties.

The captaincy responsibility has been given to England’s white-ball skipper Jos Buttler. Though, he had an average year scoring 462 runs from 15 games, including four fifties. However, his captaincy was just excellent as under Buttler’s leadership, England recently won the T20 World Cup.

Iceland went with Hardik Pandya and Sikandar Raza as all-rounders, while Wanindu Hasaranga was picked as the specialist spinner. Raza scored 735 runs this year in 24 games at a strike rate of 150, including five half-centuries and also picked up 24 wickets. Similarly, Hardik smashed 607 runs in 27 matches at a strike rate of close to 146 and bagged 20 scalps. Hasaranga, on the other hand, took 34 wickets in 19 matches.

Regarding the pace battery, Iceland named India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Australia’s Josh Hazlewood and Ireland’s Joshua Little. Notably, Little is the second-highest wicket-taker this year with 39 scalps from 26 games. Likewise, Bhuvneshwar has taken 37 wickets, and Hazlewood has bagged 26 scalps.

Iceland Cricket’s World T20I XI of 2022:

Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, Glenn Phillips, Suryakumar Yadav, Jos Buttler (c/wk), Hardik Pandya, Sikandar Raza, Wanindu Hasaranga, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazelwood, Joshua Little.

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