T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma has been named the skipper of the ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year for 2024. The team, announced by the International Cricket Council on Saturday, January 25, features four Indian players, including Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh. Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam also secured a spot in the prestigious lineup.
Interestingly, Virat Kohli, despite his match-winning performance in the T20 World Cup final last June, was not included in the team. This decision came as both Rohit Sharma and Kohli retired from T20 internationals after leading India to a long-awaited ICC trophy victory in Barbados. The squad also raised eyebrows for excluding South African players, despite their team reaching the T20 World Cup final. Another surprise omission was World No. 1 batter Suryakumar Yadav.
India’s strong presence in the team reflects their dominant performance during the T20 World Cup, where they ended an 11-year drought for an ICC trophy in men’s cricket. The pace attack of the Team of the Year comprises an all-Indian lineup, with Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Hardik Pandya replicating the successful combination used in India’s victorious World Cup campaign in the USA and West Indies.a
The team also features Rashid Khan and Wanindu Hasaranga as specialist spinners, while Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza is the lone all-rounder. Rohit Sharma will open alongside Australia’s Travis Head, with England’s Phil Salt taking the No. 3 spot. Babar Azam is positioned at No. 4, followed by Nicholas Pooran, who adds firepower to the middle order and keeps wickets.
Rohit’s stellar leadership and batting throughout the World Cup earned him this recognition. He amassed 378 runs in 11 matches at an impressive strike rate of over 160, including three half-centuries. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh dominated with the ball, taking 36 wickets in 18 matches, while Hardik Pandya contributed with vital all-round performances, including defending 16 runs in the dramatic final over against South Africa.