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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE T20I captain and all-rounder Sikandar Raza and left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava have been included in the ICC Team of the Year.
It is a remarkable achievement for Zimbabwe to contribute two players in an ICC team of the year for a format the Chevrons have a poor record, including being the only Test-playing side to miss out on the 2024 World Cup.
In naming the Best XI yesterday, ICC were recognising 11 outstanding individuals who impressed throughout 2023, be it with the bat, the ball or their all-round exploits across the calendar year.
Below is the ICC basis for selecting the T20I Team of 2023:
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)
It was another staggering year for Sikandar Raza, going back-to-back after also sliding in at No.6 in the 2022 team.
In 2023, Raza was brilliant irrespective of Zimbabwe falling short of T20 World Cup qualification.
The all-rounder was consistent with bat in hand across the year making at least 20 in nine of his 11 innings across the year. He began with two fifties in his first three T20 innings of his year, making 82* (35) and 52 (36) against Namibia away from home. During the series, Raza also claimed 4/24 (4) in the final match of the series.
Attention turned to the Africa Qualifier, where Raza shone in spite of Zimbabwe’s plight at the tournament. His lowest score came making 48 (39) in a defeat to Uganda, passing the half-century mark in his other three knocks, most notably a score of 82 (48).
Raza also claimed multiple wickets in all but one of the Africa Qualifier matches, also claiming 3/28 (4) in a meeting with Ireland in their bilateral series meeting at the end of the year.
Richard Ngarava (Zimbabwe)
Troubling many a batter with his pace and bounce, six-foot-four left-armer Richard Ngarava was a nightmare prospect in 2023.
Finishing with 26 wickets in 15 matches, Ngarava only conceded 5.63 runs per over, taking a wicket every 12.1 deliveries.
Ngarava began the year with figures of 2/20 (3) against Ireland on home Harare soil, before taking 1/32 two days later against the same opponent.
Attention moved to the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, where Ngarava claimed a wicket in every match. He went on to top the tournament tally, claiming 13 wickets at 8.23.
Ngarava finished the year with five wickets in three home matches when Ireland visited again in December.
OTHER XI PLAYERS
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
Having exhibited his skills in Test whites, Yashasvi Jaiswal then brought his domestic white-ball form to the international stage, debuting against the West Indies in August and making 430 runs in 14 knocks at a strike rate of 159.
Phil Salt (England)
Salt finished with 394 runs in just eight innings over the year, averaging 56.28 and striking at 169.09. Salt had just one score below 25, and started the year with knocks of 38 (35) and 25 (19) against Bangladesh.
The right-hander was included on England’s tour of the Caribbean, hitting 331 runs in the five match T20I series, 170 runs better than the next best on the tally list.
Nicholas Pooran (wk) (West Indies)
A consistent performer with the bat, Nicholas Pooran only failed to reach double figures three times in 13 innings, making 384 runs at a strike rate approaching 163.
Suryakumar Yadav (c) (India)
Yadav’s first innings of just seven to start the year against Sri Lanka was a mere speed bump in another prolific year, making scores of 51 (36) and 112* (51) in the next two matches. Con-sistent scoring in 20s to 40s continued, before an innings of 83 (44) against the West Indies in Providence proved his class. He ended the series against the West Indies with a knock of 61 (45) in Florida.
Yadav also took the captaincy with Rohit Sharma taking a break in the backend of the year.
Suryakumar made half-centuries against Australia (80 off 42 balls) and South Africa (56 from 36 balls), before posting an even 100 against the Proteas off just 56 balls in their final T20I of the year in Johannesburg.
Mark Chapman (New Zealand)
Leading the Black Caps in T20I runs in 2023, making 576 at 44.30 and with a strike rate of 141.87 Chapman also made hay in tough situations batting at No.4 and No.5.
Alpesh Ramjani (Uganda)
Ramjani led the world in T20I wickets for the year (55 at an economy of just 4.77) across 30 matches, and was a thorn in the side for opposition bowling attacks, scoring 449 runs at 28.06 (strike rate 132) down the order.
Mark Adair (Ireland)
Ireland’s bowling all-rounder made his mark in 2023, taking 26 wickets at an economy of 7.42, taking a wicket every 13 deliveries.
Ravi Bishnoi (India)
Taking 18 wickets in just 44 overs across the year, Ravi Bishnoi made a climb to No.1 on the ICC T20 Bowling Rankings when the year ended, helped by a fruitful home series against Australia across November and December.
Arshdeep Singh (India)
Arshdeep Singh continued to excel in 2023, taking 26 wickets in 21 appearances for India.
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