It’s rare to see players from big teams like Australia, India, and England not get into the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year, but this time it happened. The ICC has released their Men’s ODI Playing XI 2024, and surprisingly, there is no one from the mentioned countries above. However, this is expected, as India hardly played many ODI games last year, except for the series against South Africa, which they won, and then Sri Lanka, where they lost. On the other hand, England played nine matches, and Australia played eleven. But more importantly, it’s also worth noting that all these teams had mixed outings last year, often not on the winning side, which means their players didn’t get the chance to showcase much of their game well.
However, since teams like Pakistan and Sri Lanka played a fair number of games, players like Shaheen Afridi, Saim Ayub, and Kusal Mendis all did an impressive job, making their way onto the list. First take a look at the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year 2024 and see which names are shining.
ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2024
| Player | Country |
| Saim Ayub | Pakistan |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Afghanistan |
| Pathum Nissanka | Sri Lanka |
| Kusal Mendis | Sri Lanka |
| Charith Asalanka | Sri Lanka |
| Sherfane Rutherford | West Indies |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | Afghanistan |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | Sri Lanka |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi | Pakistan |
| Haris Rauf | Pakistan |
| AM Ghazanfar | Afghanistan |
The list starts with Saim Ayub of Pakistan and his neighbour Afghanistan’s champion player, Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Both players showed their best in this format, showing grit and making their performances look effortless. Ayub, who made his debut on November 4, 2024, against Australia, quickly rose through the ranks. He scored 515 runs in just 9 matches, with an average of 64.37. His ability to bat for long periods frustrated bowlers, and he also made two centuries against South Africa.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, known for applying tactics while batting, made 531 runs in 11 games.
Moving down the list, Sri Lanka also makes its mark with Pathum Nissanka, who had an exceptional year with the bat, scored 694 runs in 12 matches, including one double century. Experienced player Kusal Mendis showed his aggressive form, scoring 742 runs in just 17 games. Along with them, Omarzai and Wanindu Hasaranga are also featured, along with Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai.
Two Pakistani quick bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, who had a tough outing in 2023, have now transformed into giant wicket-takers, making this ODI team a powerful lineup.
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