Wisden’s ‘form’ world ODI XI

We have considered players who have done well in the format consistently over the last few months, and not just in a single series. Therefore, Kusal Mendis, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler miss out, as does Jasprit Bumrah, who wowed viewers with his skills yet again when he picked up 6-19 against England earlier this month..

The below statistics are as of July 26, with the numbers representing how players have done across their last few matches.

Imam-ul-Haq (Pakistan)

7 matches, 553 runs @ 92.16, 100s: 2, 50s: 5

Imam has reached fifty in his last seven consecutive outings and has the best average amongst all batters since the start of November 2021 (99.40). No other player has more 50-plus scores in this period, and his strike rate of 98.61 conveys how effortlessly he has dominated bowling attacks. Imam has played his last six ODIs at home, smashing 103, 106, 89*, 65, 72 and 62.

Quinton de Kock – South Africa (wk)

7 matches, 392 runs @ 65.33, 100s: 1, 50s: 3

The wicketkeeper retired from Test cricket last year but continues to reign supreme in the 50-over game. He started his streak with a 66-ball 78 against India at Paarl in January and followed it up with a match-winning hundred against the same opponent in the next ODI. He smashed his third successive 50-plus score a couple months later against Bangladesh and though he faced a small blip in form thereafter, he roared back with an unbeaten 92* off 76 balls against England this month.

Babar Azam – Pakistan (c)

6 matches, 457 runs @ 91.40, 100s: 3, 50s: 2

No other batter has scored more hundreds since November 2021 in ODI cricket than Babar. The Pakistan skipper is also one of three batters to average more than 90 in the format in that period. One of the most talented players in world cricket, Babar’s numbers further indicate why he can be an all-format superstar in the near future.

Harry Tector – Ireland

6 matches, 384 runs @ 76.80, 100s: 2, 50s: 3

Ireland’s Tector, who impressed stand-in India captain Hardik Pandya in the recent T20I series between the two teams, has also been unstoppable in one-dayers, failing to reach fifty just once in six innings this year. He started the year with three successive half-centuries against West Indies and showed rapid strides against New Zealand recently, scoring two hundreds in three games.

Rassie van der Dussen (South Africa)

9 matches, 476 runs @ 79.33, 100s: 2, 50s: 2

Van der Dussen has the best ODI batting average in the history of the game (69.31 with a minimum of 20 innings), his journey to the landmark helped by a score of 134 in the first game against England. It was his second hundred in seven matches, and also his fourth fifty-plus score in that period. Following his latest ton, he has recorded scores of 0 and 26, but that does not take away from how exceptional he has been, not only of late but throughout his career.

Travis Head (Australia)

6 matches, 310 runs @ 62, 100s: 1, 50s: 2

Head just about sneaks past Mendis in our XI. He has scored runs against both Pakistan and Sri Lanka, scoring 101 and 89 at Lahore before making an unbeaten 70 at Colombo. Head has also opened the innings and batted at No.6, so his presence gives our XI some flexibility.

Andrew McBrine (Ireland)

6 matches, 221 runs @ 44.20, 50s: 1
11 wickets @ 22.54, BBI: 4-28

With a batting-bowling average difference of 21.65 in ODIs this year, McBrine is one of the most in-form all-rounders in the world at the moment. He has picked up two four-fors in 2022 with his off-break bowling, while also getting starts with the bat. Five of his six innings have resulted in scores of more than 30 this year.

Michael Bracewell (New Zealand)

6 matches, 194 runs @ 97, 100s: 1
7 wickets @ 30.71, BBI: 3-21

The 31-year-old made his ODI debut this year against the Netherlands and has had a dream run with both bat and ball since. He had a quiet start with the bat but picked up five wickets in his first three games. His batting took over thereafter, his 127* helping New Zealand chase down 301 in their first ODI against Ireland in a one-wicket win. He followed it up with knocks of 42* and 21*and has been effective with his off-breaks as well.

Alzarri Joseph (West Indies)

14 matches, 22 wickets @ 25, BBI: 3-55

The leading wicket-taker amongst quicks in ODIs in 2022, Joseph has gone wicketless in only two of his last 14 games. If we move back even further, the West Indies fast bowler has taken at least one wicket in 19 of his last 21 ODIs, which remains a commendable feat. This year, he has taken two or more scalps in a game nine times, with his best figures being 3-55 against Ireland.

Reece Topley (England)

7 matches, 13 wickets @ 16.38, BBI: 6-24

Topley had a dream series against India, where he constantly troubled the famed top order. His career-best of 6-24 at Lord’s helped England defend 246, and he followed it up with another fine showing, picking up the scalps of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli in Manchester. If we only consider Topley’s last four ODIs, he averages 10, having also picked up two wickets against South Africa.

Yuzvendra Chahal (India)

8 matches, 15 wickets @ 22.53, BBI: 4-47

Chahal has played five of his last eight ODIs in England and West Indies, and only went wicketless on one occasion, at The Oval, when he bowled two overs. Following his omission from the T20 World Cup squad last year, Chahal has bounced back strongly, even winning the Purple Cap in the 2022 Indian Premier League this season, indicating his rich form across formats.