LNP – Four Sri Lankans in ICC ODI Team of the Year 2024

Sri Lanka’s Charith Asalanka has been named the captain of the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2024, with Kusal Mendis included as the wicketkeeper while Pathum Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga are also part of the team.

The ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year 2024 not only offers quality, as expected, but also a great balance of star power, consistency and versatility.

Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)

12 Matches, 694 Runs, 210 Highest Score, 63.1 Average, 106.4 Strike Rate, 3 Centuries, 2 Half-Centuries

Nissanka’s 210* in February against Afghanistan was the 6th-highest score by an opener in ODI history, setting up his strong season for the Lions.

Much of his production came in the front half of the year, tonning up twice when Afghanistan toured and then again in Bangladesh in March.

Nissanka scored the second-most One-Day International runs in 2024, behind only team-mate Kusal Mendis.

Kusal Mendis (WK) (Sri Lanka)

17 Matches, 742 Runs, 143 Highest Score, 53 Average, 90.6 Strike Rate, 1 Century, 6 Half-Centuries

Mendis’ 742 runs were the most scored of any player in ODIs in 2024. His highest score, a 143 against New Zealand in November, was the 27th-highest total by a wicketkeeper in ODI history.

He finished the calendar year with a bang, notching up a total of 217 runs in Sri Lanka’s two ODIs against the Black Caps.

Mendis’ consistency was undeniable, only failing to reach double figures once from 17 innings.

Charith Asalanka (C) (Sri Lanka)

16 Matches, 605 Runs, 101 Highest Score, 50.2 Average, 97.1 Strike Rate, 1 Century, 4 Half-Centuries

Sri Lankans scoring ODI runs was undoubtedly a theme in 2024, with Asalanka being no exception.

He started the year with a ton against Zimbabwe, his only century of the calendar year, but proceeded to contribute handsomely with the bat, reaching 50 on four separate occasions – two of those scores in the 90s.

Asalanka also took three wickets in two of Sri Lanka’s three series games against India.

Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)

10 Matches, 26 Wickets, 15.6 Bowling Average, 7/19 Best Bowling

Hasaranga’s 7/19 against Zimbabwe in January is the fifth-best return in an innings in ODI history, joining an elite club of bowlers that have taken seven scalps in a match.

He averaged 2.6 wickets per game in 2024 and kept his bowling average well under 20.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)

6 Matches, 15 Wickets, 17.6 Bowling Average, 4/47 Best Bowling

Shaheen Shah Afridi made a big impact despite playing only six ODIs in the calendar year.

Possessing one of world cricket’s best bowling strike rates, he continued to prove himself as one of the most consistent performers at the international level.

Haris Rauf (Pakistan)

8 Matches, 13 Wickets, 22.4 Bowling Average, 5/29 Best Bowling

Rauf finished 2024 firing on all cylinders, taking 10 wickets across Pakistan’s three-ODI series in Australia, which included his five-for in Adelaide – a contest the touring team ended up winning comfortably.

AM Ghazanfar (Afghanistan)

11 Matches, 21 Wickets, 13.57 Average, 6/26 Best Bowling

Rising star alert. 18-year-old AM Ghazanfar had an incredible 2024, after making his ODI debut in March against Ireland.

The off-spinner became the fifth-youngest Men’s player to take a five-for in an ODI, picking up 6/26 against Bangladesh in November.

He recorded another five-wicket haul in his last ODI appearance of 2024, grabbing 5/33 against Harare in December.

Ghazanfar has already become an important member of Afghanistan’s team and will be pivotal for their upcoming Champions Trophy claims.

Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)

12 Matches, 417 Runs, 149 Highest Score, 52.1 Average, 105.6 Strike Rate, 1 Century, 3 Half-Centuries, 17 Wickets, 4/18 Best Bowling

Omarzai’s all-round contribution was of great use to Afghanistan throughout 2024 in ODIs, combining high-end batting production with some very useful bowling performances.

In the third and deciding ODI against Bangladesh in November, with the series locked up at 1-1, he took 4/37 with the ball and followed that up with an innings of 70 not out to steer them to a five-wicket win with 10 balls to spare.

Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies)

9 Matches, 425 Runs, 113 Highest Score, 106.2 Average, 120.1 Strike Rate, 1 Century, 4 Half-Centuries

What a star. Rutherford played in nine ODIs in 2024, after only making his debut in December 2023, yet scored runs for fun.

The 26-year-old from Guyana scored 425 runs, well faster than a run-a-ball, from seven innings for the West Indies.

Rutherford played the middle-order role to perfection, finishing unbeaten on three separate occasions. His lowest score for the year was 24* and his run of five straight innings reaching 50 is the 13th-best streak in ODIs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan)

11 Matches, 531 Runs, 121 Highest Score, 48.2 Average, 89.7 Strike Rate, 3 Centuries, 2 Half-Centuries

Rahmanullah Gurbaz continues to produce the game-wrecking performances he’s been known for ever since his famous century on debut in 2021.

Afghanistan had a 2024 series against Sri Lanka, Ireland, South Africa and Bangladesh and Gurbaz was productive in all of them.

Saim Ayub (Pakistan)

9 Matches, 515 Runs, 113 no Highest Score, 64.37 Average, 105.53 Strike Rate, 3 Centuries, 1 Half-century

What a breakout season it’s been for the Pakistan southpaw, capped off by selection at the top of the order in the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year.

Saim only debuted in November, but arrived immediately, scoring a combined 125 runs from three One-Day Internationals in Australia, before scoring a maiden ODI ton in Zimbabwe shortly after.

Three of his last five innings have produced centuries, including two in South Africa in December, a three-match series that saw him average 78.3.