The Combined Best ODI XI of 2018

#2 Spinners

Rashid Khan

Rashid Khan

Matches – 20, Innings – 20, Wickets – 48, Economy rate – 3.89, 5-wicket hauls - 2

Rashid Khan is currently the best player in the Afghanistan team. He has bamboozled a lot of quality batsmen. The leg-spinner first took 16 wickets in 5 matches against Zimbabwe.

Against quality opponents in the Asia Cup, Rashid took 10 wickets in 5 matches. His wickets included top-order batsmen like Upul Tharanga, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Babar Azam, Liton Das, and KL Rahul.

Rashid's biggest moment in the Asia Cup came in the match against India when he had to defend 6 runs in the last over. He gave away exactly 6 runs and took the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja off his fifth ball to tie that match. It was like a moral victory for Afghanistan against big guns India.

Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav

Matches – 19, Innings – 19, Wickets – 45, Economy rate – 4.64, 5-wicket hauls - 1

Kuldeep Yadav continues to be a mystery to batsmen all over the world. In the series against South Africa, the Protea batsmen were totally clueless against the left-arm wrist-spinner. He took 17 wickets in the series in 6 matches.

In the first ODI against England at Nottingham, Kuldeep exploited England’s inherent weakness against spin by claiming his best ever figures of 6 for 25. In the Asia Cup that followed, he was the joint highest wicket-taker with 10 wickets.