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Abhishek Sharma at the top, Varun Chakravarthy at...? T20I cricketer of the year 2025

Rajgeeta Yadav

Team India [Source: AFP]Team India [Source: AFP]

As the 2025 year comes to an end, the T20I format has witnessed some outstanding performances from both batters and bowlers. With most major teams playing a large number of T20Is to prepare for next year’s World Cup, the year was heavily dominated by the format. 

So, as the season wraps up, it is time to look back at the standout performers. Here, in this article, we rank the 10 best players in T20Is in 2025, based on the overall impact their performances had on their respective sides throughout the year.

10) Rishad Hossain (33 wickets in 24 innings)

Rishad Hossain was a standout performer for Bangladesh in T20Is in 2025 and earned the 10th spot on the list. Hossain had an impressive year with the ball, taking 33 wickets in 24 innings at an economy rate of 8.46. 

Rishad delivered several impactful performances, including a fine spell of 3 for 18 against Sri Lanka in July. Over the year, he established himself as a key leg-spinning all-rounder, also contributing useful runs with the bat when needed. 

It is worth mentioning that Rishad finished 2025 as Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker of the year.

9) Pathum Nissanka (625 runs in 18 innings)

Pathum Nissanka was one of Sri Lanka’s most consistent performers in T20Is during 2025. He enjoyed a solid year with the bat, scoring 625 runs in 18 innings at a healthy strike rate of 149.16. 

Notably, Nissanka finished as Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer of the year. While he may not be as explosive as his opening partner, he balanced aggression with reliability and played according to the situation. His ability to score runs across different conditions made him a dependable presence for the team. 

It is worth mentioning that one of the highlights of his year was a near match-winning century against India in the Asia Cup, which showed his class under pressure.

8) Jos Buttler (480 runs in 14 innings)

England’s star batter Jos Buttler enjoyed a strong year in T20Is in 2025 and once again showed his class at the highest level. Buttler scored 480 runs in 14 innings, striking the ball at an impressive rate of 164.38. 

One of his standout performances came against the West Indies, where he played a major role in England’s series victory. Buttler scored 165 runs in three innings during the series, providing explosive starts and stability at the top of the order.

7) Nathan Ellis (18 wickets in 12 innings)

Nathan Ellis enjoyed a standout 2025 in T20Is, proving his worth as a specialist in Australia's bowling attack. He finished the year with 18 wickets in 12 innings, while keeping his economy rate at a decent 8.21. 

Notably, Ellis stood out for his smart use of variations and accurate yorkers, which helped Australia control tight matches. 

A major milestone came during the year when Ellis became Australia’s fifth bowler to reach 50 T20I wickets, achieving the feat in just 31 matches. He also delivered key match-winning spells, including an impressive 3 for 21 against India and 3 for 31 against South Africa in August 2025. 

6) Mohammad Nawaz (36 wickets in 24 innings)

Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz enjoyed a very strong year in T20Is, especially with the ball. Nawaz was in outstanding form and took 36 wickets in 24 innings for Pakistan, while maintaining an excellent economy rate of just 6.50. 

Nawaz finished the year as the joint-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, sharing the top spot with India’s Varun Chakravarthy. One of the highlights of his season was a brilliant five-wicket haul, with his best figures being 5 for 19 against Afghanistan.

5) Tim Seifert (559 runs in 14 innings)

The last 12 months have been an excellent period for Tim Seifert, as he emerged as one of New Zealand’s most reliable batters. He scored 559 runs in just 14 innings, finishing the year with an impressive average of 50.81 and a strong strike rate of 164.41. His best performances came against Pakistan, where he was outstanding throughout the series. 

Notably, Seifert smashed 345 runs in five innings at a massive strike rate of 207.50. His dominant batting helped New Zealand win the series 4-1, and he was rightly named Player of the Series for his match-winning contributions.

4) Jacob Duffy (35 wickets in 20 innings)

Jacob Duffy enjoyed a dream year in 2025 and emerged as one of New Zealand’s biggest positives. It was a standout season for him across formats, but his T20I performances were especially impressive. 

Duffy took 35 wickets in 20 innings, the most wickets by a NZ bowler in a calendar year. At a time when Black Caps' pace attack was weakened by injuries, he stepped up and delivered important breakthroughs. 

Duffy's consistency gave the team much-needed balance and confidence. Thanks to his strong performances, Duffy is currently ranked No. 2 in the ICC T20I bowling rankings. He also finished as the second-highest wicket-taker of 2025, behind Varun Chakravarthy and Mohammad Nawaz.

3) Mitchell Marsh (454 runs in 13 innings)

Mitchell Marsh takes the third spot on the list after a strong comeback year in T20Is. The Australian all-rounder finished 2025 with 454 runs in 13 innings, making him Australia’s highest run-scorer in T20Is. 

Notably, Marsh scored runs at a healthy strike rate of 158.18 and registered one century along with two half-centuries. This year was especially important for Marsh, as it marked a return to form after a few underwhelming seasons since 2021. 

One of his best performances came against New Zealand in a T20I series, where he was simply outstanding. In just two innings, Marsh smashed 197 runs at a stunning strike rate of 191.26, proving his ability to dominate quality bowling attacks.

2) Varun Chakravarthy (36 wickets in 18 innings)

Second on the list is India’s mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who had an excellent year in shortest format of the game. In 2025, Varun picked up 36 wickets in just 18 innings.

Notably, he was in top form throughout the year and finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, while maintaining an impressive economy rate of 7.08.Varun also made a big impact in the Asia Cup 2025. He played an important role in India’s title-winning campaign by taking seven wickets in six matches at a tight economy rate of 6.50. 

Thanks to his outstanding performances, Chakravarthy ended the year as the ICC No. 1 ranked T20I bowler.

1) Abhishek Sharma (859 runs in 21 innings)

Abhishek Sharma had a dream year in T20Is in 2025. The young Indian opener was in outstanding form throughout the year, scoring 859 runs in 21 innings. What made his performances even more special was his explosive strike rate of 193.4. 

During the year, Abhishek hit one brilliant century and five half-centuries, giving India strong starts in most matches. He finished 2025 as the highest run-scorer in T20Is, although he narrowly missed breaking Virat Kohli’s record for most runs by an Indian in a calendar year. 

Abhishek also shone in the Asia Cup 2025, where he led from the front and helped India win the title. He scored 314 runs in seven matches at an impressive strike rate of 200, making him the tournament’s top scorer and a clear standout of the year.