OneCricket's ODI Team of the Year: The best in business!

Shreyas Iyer (Source: Twitter)

Year 2022 was all tinge and hue for the One Day International format. The format has been questioned times and again for being a boring spectacle for the audiences. While the T20 format has been in the limelight for the past two years, Test has been able to retain its user base after some magnificent series happening over time in time again.

With the 2023 World Cup looming large, the format will see the attention returning after a gap of four years. The 2019 World Cup was one of the prime events of the decade that when down as the best in the history of the sport.

In the previous year, many players from the associate nations came up with strong performances. So let's have a look at the ODI team of the year 2022 made with efforts by OneCricket's in-house panel after some deep research and discussions.

Openers: Shubman Gill and Travis Head

Shubman Gill (Source: Twitter)

Without any doubt, Shubman Gill should open along Travis Head after their marvellous performance in the preceding year. Both of them were outstanding for their respective sides, giving them good starts at the top of the order.

While Gill amassed 638 runs at an average of 70.89 striking at 102.57 in just 12 innings this year, Head had smashed 550 runs in just nine innings as an average of 68.75 scoring runs at the rate of, 112.24. With four fifties and two centuries, Head was magnificent whereas his partner was brilliant with four half centuries and one hundred.

Head's best in the year came against England in the third ODI, where he registered a mammoth score of 152 runs off just 130 deliveries. Conversely, Gill's best came against Zimbabwe where he piled up 130 runs helping his side win the game.

Number 3: Babar Azam

Babar Azam (Source: Twitter)

It was another mind blowing year for Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam. With an average of 84.88, he thumped 679 runs from just 9 innings. Astonishingly, out of his nine innings, he gathered five half-centuries and three record-breaking tons.

While his numbers were massive, his overall impact was tremendous for his side were he leads the Men in Green as well. Pakistan's number three over the years has been the most dependable batter in the format, his grittiness and temperament is a testimony of his wonderful sportsmanship.

Middle Order Batters: Shreyas Iyer, Tom Latham

Shreyas Iyer: It wasn't an all a tough decision to pick Shreyas Iyer. His reliability and dependability have been the reason that why he's so much consistent over the year. Talking about the numbers, his 724 runs came at an average of 55.69 in just 15 innings. 

While he smashed six 50s and one hundred, most of his innings created an impact for the side, where he bailed them out of trouble on many occasions.

Tom Latham (Source: Twitter)

Tom Latham: The Kiwi southpaw Tom Latham was outstanding for another year where his runs came at an average of 55.80 while striking runs at 101.27. Latham smashed 558 runs from just 13 innings where his highest score was 145 against India. He has generally been New Zealand's mainstay for several years, where his determined innings have been the key.

All-rounder: Sikandar Raza, Mehidy Hasan

Sikandar Raza (Source: Twitter)

Sikandar Raza: Zimbabwe's latest sensation Sikandar Raza has been terrific in all formats of the game. The all-rounder has consistently proved his mettle for the Chevrons with his impactful all-round skills. 645 runs to go along with eight wickets this year and that too in just 15 matches.

Not just this, he averages 49.62 with the bat whereas his economy rate with the ball is 5.03. Apart from his numbers, the Zimbabwean side has been mostly dependent on the Sialkot-born. He surely is turning into a modern Day great.

Mehidy Hasan: Highest wicket taker for the Bangladesh side in the 2022, Mehidy Hasan Miraz was also the fifth highest run-getter for his side in the format. In 15 matches, he smashed 330 runs at an average of 66. With the ball, he was even better grabbing 24 wickets, while giving away runs at an economy of 5.45.

His most impactful innings came against India where in the first ODI he played an unbeaten 38 runs a knock to form 51-runs stand for the last wicket to take his side home in a thriller. Alternatively, in the second ODI, he brought up his century to help his side seal the series. 

Bowlers: Alzarri Joseph, Mohammed Siraj, Trent Boult, Adam Zampa

Alzarri Joseph: Alzarri Joseph had a staggering 2022 where he scalped 27 wickets in 17 matches giving away runs at an economy of 4.62. His outstanding figures helped him pip his countrymen Akeal Hosein for the same spot who grabbed 30 wickets in the calendar year. 

The right-armer bowled with brilliant pace throughout the year causing trouble to the batters. He proved lethal even in the flat conditions, providing his side a good start and a decent finish with the ball.

Mohammed Siraj: India's pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj bowled extremely well with his seeming deliveries asking tough questions to the batters. He was crucial for India with his 24 wickets in 15 matches at an economy rate of 4.63. Shardul Thakur was another contender in his spot but missed out after some deliberation from our experts who went ahead with the former.

Trent Boult (Source: Twitter)

Trent Boult: BlackCaps' left-arm pacer Trent Boult was in fine form throughout the year grabbing a total of 18 wickets in just six matches at an economy of 3.98. Boult like 2022 has been excellent for side in the  previous years as well. His teammates Tim Southee and Matt Henry have outstanding too but his numbers have been wonderful in the past 12 months.

Adam Zampa: Only leggie in the XI, Adam Zampa has had that kind of year where he was at his absolute best managing to get whopping 30 wickets in just 12 matches at an average of 17.53. His variations have been pretty good, making the batters to think about them twice. 

Zampa's core competitors Adil Rashid and Rashid Khan have also been brilliant but they were no match for the Aussie. His quality is judged by the fact that he has helped his side to overcome different challenges at tense moments.

Also Read: OneCricket's Test Team of 2022: Who gets the nod?