Best T20I XI with a player from each of the top 11 teams in the format

Cricket is no more a sport played only between a handful of nations. The sport has seen a tremendous increase in popularity over the past couple of decades. It has been great to see Development of craze about sports in various new nations at a rapid rate. Here I am presenting the best possible XI in the T20I format with one player from each of the top-ranked teams in ICC Cricket rating as of 21 December 2017.

Openers

Marin Guptill (New Zealand)

The destructive opener has enjoyed a really good run in the shortest format of the game since his debut. He has been the most successful player for his country after former wicketkeeper-captain Brendon McCullum.

Among all the players who are currently playing on the international level, he is the second highest run scorer after Indian captain Virat Kohli and the fourth highest overall. He is a livewire on the field with great reflexes and a bullet arm.

Aaron Finch (Australia)

The explosive opener from Victoria has enjoyed a rich vein of form in the shortest format of the game. He is an integral part of the Australian setup in the limited overs format and is destructive right from the word go.

He strikes at close to 150 in the format and at an average of almost 38, making him a crucial pick for the team. Finch has amassed 1132 runs with a best of a record 156.

Middle order

Virat Kohli (India)

The Indian skipper will captain the side and will also bat at number three like he does for India. There is no denying the fact that the Indian captain is the best player in all the formats and his stats provide the perfect testimony to that.

He averages a world best 53 in the format and has an impressive strike rate of almost 138.

Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)

The Veteran Sri Lankan all-rounder will bat at number 4 in the team. Though he has not enjoyed great T20 form of late, he brings a lot to the table with his vast experience in the sport. Also, he can be handy with the balls and can bowl a couple of tight overs.

He has hit over a 1000 runs in 56 innings averaging almost 28. He has also taken 37 wickets in the format.

Jos Buttler (England) (wk)

ICC World Twenty20 India 2016: Final - England v West Indies

England's limited-overs keeper will keep and bat at number 5. He has been an integral part of England's limited-overs fixtures in the past couple of years. He can come in and play attacking shorts right from the start, and therefore is capable of ending the innings on a high.

He can play shots all around the wicket. An explosive wicket-keeper batsman, he has amassed more than a 1000 runs in the format with a destructive strike rate of almost 139 and an average of little less than 27.

All-rounders

Shakib Al Hasan

Bangladesh v Afghanistan - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup

Shakib Al Hasan has been a revelation in Bangladesh cricket with his top class cricketing skills and the value that he brings to the table owing to the great all round skills.

The southpaw has scored more than a 1200 runs in the format at an average of around 23, and has been the impact performer for the teams he has played in.

However, bowling has been the main strength for the Bangladesh all-rounder as he has claimed 73 wickets in the format.

Andre Russell (West Indies)

India v West Indies - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup

The well built West Indian who is currently sidelined from the sport owing to doping issues has a lot to offer as an all-rounder. From power-hitting to opening the bowling he has done it all in different T20 leagues across the globe.

He can hit the cricket ball a large distance right from ball one. His records on the international stage have been poor, but that can be justified by the reason that he was not given a long run in the team setup due to disputes with the board.

Every now and then, he has proved his mettle in the various T20 leagues making him a sure pick in the squad.

Richie Berrington

Afghanistan v Scotland - 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup

Richie Berrington has been one of the mainstays for the Scotland team. He averages 24 and his strike rate is almost 120. The fact that makes his place even stronger in the squad is that he has an international century to his name in the shortest format of the game. He is not a prominent wicket taker, but he can give a couple of overs worth of good bowling. He has been economical, giving runs at the rate of only 7.20 runs an over.

Spinner

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)

The 19-year-old Afghan spinner is regarded to be the next big thing in cricket. He has impressed everyone with his clever wrist spin. With an economy rate of under 6 in T20I and an average of around 14, he has the ability of a turning a game on its head.

He is more than handy with the bat, as he averages 20 in the format and also has a healthy strike rate of 135.

Fast bowlers

Hasan Ali (Pakistan)

Hasan Ali seems like any other ordinary bowler with a medium pace and a simple action, but it is his variation which makes him stand out.

He has a whole lot of variations, which perhaps is his biggest weapon and makes him different from other bowlers. He has taken 18 wickets in only 12 matches he has played so far in the shortest format.

He has a destructive strike rate as he takes a wicket in every 14 balls in the format, making him a match winner.

Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

South Africa v Mumbai Cricket Association XI - ICC Twenty20 World Cup Warm Up

The tall South African Pacer will be a partner in crime for Hasan Ali with the ball. Rabada has also been deadly at the death, as he is capable of delivering yorkers consistently.

Also, he has played a couple of crucial knocks in the IPL with the bat making him an overall package and a valuable asset to the team. He has picked 22 wickets in 14 T20 Internationals.