Picking a combined men-women ICC T20I team of the year 2024 ft. Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently announced the best T20I teams for 2024 for both men and women. India had as many as four names in the men’s category, while three found a place in the women’s category.

The men’s playing XI named by the ICC features some of the most prolific names in world cricket who have the ability to destroy any bowling attack on their day. The women’s team seems to have their bases covered as well.

In this listicle, we have compiled the best combined XI, featuring players from the ICC T20I teams of the year for men and women:

# Openers- Rohit Sharma and Travis Head

Rohit Sharma was named the captain of the ICC T20I team of 2024. He led India to their second T20 World Cup triumph in June. He was not only at the top of his game as a captain but played some magical knocks with the bat. In 11 T20Is this year, Rohit scored 378 runs at an average of 42.

Travis Head has been a prolific run score for Australia. Source: Getty

Another swashbuckling batter who is expected to partner Rohit Sharma in this XI is the Australian opener Travis Head. He has been a terror to the opposition bowlers and has provided blistering starts in this format. Head played 15 T20Is in 2024, scoring 539 runs at an average of 38.50.

Middle order- Chamari Athapaththu, Hayley Matthews, Nicholas Pooran, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Hardik Pandya

Athapaththu has been a bona fide legend of Sri Lankan cricket. Source: Getty

You won't see a better striker of the ball than Chamari Athapaththu in women’s cricket. When in full flow, she has made top-quality bowling attacks look absolutely clueless. She is also an effective off-spinner who has been a stalwart for Sri Lanka for several years.

Athapaththu played 21 WT20Is in 2024 and scored 720 runs with two centuries. She also bagged 21 wickets at an average of 16.80. Another prolific all-rounder in the women’s game, Hayley Matthews will also find a space in this combined XI due to her exploits as an all-rounder. In 16 T20Is, Matthews scored 538 runs and also took 14 wickets.

Nicholas Pooran is one of the most fearless batters going around. Source: Getty

The West Indies wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran should find himself in most of the T20 XIs in the modern generation. A fearless striker of the ball, Pooran can decimate any bowling attack on his day. He can also take up the wicket-keeping duties. In 21 T20Is, Pooran scored 464 runs with a highest score of 98.

An integral member of the England women’s team, Nat Sciver Brunt will occupy the sixth spot in the playing XI and will play an important role with her all-round abilities. Sciver-Brunt can bat at the top of the order as well. She played 16 T20Is in this format in 2024, scoring 423 runs and taking seven wickets.

The last player in the category is the World Cup winner Hardik Pandya who bowled the final over in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa. He had gone through a massive turmoil in his personal and cricket career but bounced back like a champion. In 17 T20Is in 2024, Hardik scored 352 runs besides picking 16 wickets.

Bowlers- Orla Prendergast, Marizanne Kapp, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

Prendergast has a stupendous record in T20Is in 2024. Source: Getty

Given her stupendous all-round record in this format in 2024, Orla Prendergast should easily walk into the XI. A primary reason behind the rise of Ireland women’s cricket, Prendergast scored 544 runs in 18 T20Is in 2024 and also bagged 21 wickets.

South African fast-bowling all-rounder Marizanne Kapp will lend an ideal balance to the side. While she is a top-order batter for South Africa, she has to bat in the lower order in this XI. However, if required she can bat up the order as well. Kapp scored 399 runs in 16 matches besides also picking 11 wickets.

Arshdeep Singh who recently became the leading wicket-taker for India in T20Is was an unsung hero for India in the T20 World Cup. Playing predominantly under the shadows of Bumrah, Arshdeep went about his business like a champion and got the results he deserved. The left-arm pacer took 36 wickets in 18 T20Is at an average of 13.50 in 2024.

Jasprit Bumrah poses with the Man of the Series Trophy after India's World Cup win in 2024..Source: Getty

You can't keep Jasprit Bumrah away from any team. Whichever format he plays, Bumrah remains the best all-format bowler to have graced the game of cricket. He was the Player of the Series during the T20 World Cup but hasn't played in this format since then. Bumrah played just eight T20Is in 2024 and bagged 15 wickets at an incredible average of 8.26.