No Indians in ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year 2024 as Sri Lanka batters & Pakistan bowlers dominate

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the Men's ODI Team of the Year 2024, which largely features players from the subcontinent, but none from India. Similarly, no player from defending ODI World Cup champions Australia, or white-ball heavyweights England feature either.

Sri Lanka's Charith Asalanka has been named captain of the assembled playing XI, while his teammate Kusal Mendis will don the gloves.

Pakistan's Saim Ayub and Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz have been named the openers. The young left-handed batter had a breakthrough year, culminating with the recent prolific series against South Africa, where he recorded two hundreds.

Gurbaz, on the other hand, ended the year with three tons in total, one each against Ireland, South Africa, and Sri Lanka.

The middle-order is completely dominated by Sri Lankan batters, with all of Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, and Charith Asalanka featuring. Nissanka had a dominant year, highlighted by a historic double hundred against Afghanistan. He also had a prolific home series against India.

Kusal Mendis ended the year as the leading run-scorer in ODIs. He recorded 742 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of 53.

Appointed white-ball captain after Wanindu Hasaranga's resignation, Charith Asalanka stepped up and continued to make his mark as one of the best No.5 batters in world cricket.

West Indies' Sherfane Rutherford, a constant feature in franchise cricket, made his ODI debut in the home series against England in 2023. He has been a mainstay in the middle order since, scoring five fifties and a hundred to create a stunning run of form.

Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai is the third seamer in the side, with the pace bowling unit led by Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. The Pakistani pace duo played a huge role in the team's thumping series wins in Australia and South Africa recently.

As far as the spin department is concerned, Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga and Afghanistan's Allah Ghazanfar lead the proceedings. The pair picked a combined total of 47 wickets in just 21 outings to storm into the team of the year.

ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year 2024

Saim Ayub, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Sherfane Rutherford, Azmatullah Omarzai, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Allah Ghazanfar

Sherfane Rutherford, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kusal Mendis, and Azmatullah Omarzai have been nominated for ICC ODI Player of The Year

Four players from the aforementioned team of the year have been nominated for the individual ODI Player of the Year 2024 award as well. The ICC released the names a while ago, while voting was open to determine the winner.

With 2024 not emphasizing ODIs' aftermath of the 2023 ODI World Cup, it gave a chance for players from the smaller teams to make a solid impression. They have made the most of the opportunity to deliver some memorable displays in the process.