Picking an Elite T20I XI of Players Operating Right Now

Picking an elite Twenty20 XI was never going to be an easy task.

A game that was developed to help attract spectators has gone global in a big way, with every major cricket-playing country looking to cash in on the popularity of T20 cricket.

There were some criteria used in the selection of the final lineup.

It was suitable to pick players in their specified role. For example, opener David Warner is a fabulous T20 batsman, but that does not mean he can just be slotted in at four or five in the order.

The side has been built with a balanced approach—there is a blend between the batsmen, while the captain has a variety of different options to call into action with the ball.

A premium has been put on international records, as that is still the pinnacle of the sport.

However, performances in domestic tournaments were not ignored. In fact, they were viewed as a way to decide close calls between two players fighting it out for one spot.

In the end, though, it is all just a matter of opinion.

Brendon McCullum was a certainty to be picked at the top of the order—no one has scored more runs in Twenty20 matches for their country.

The New Zealand captain isn't just in front on the all-time list either—his tally of 2,105 puts him 612 runs clear of his nearest rival (Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene).

McCullum has hit two T20 centuries for his country, while he also gave the Indian Premier League the perfect start by smashing 158 in the inaugural match.

A devastating hitter over the top, the right-hander—who averages 35.67 in the format—is never afraid to take on any bowler. He's also an aggressive captain, making him the ideal candidate to lead our XI.

Chris Gayle was the first player to reach three figures in an international T20, hitting 117 off 57 deliveries against South Africa in 2007.

The format suits the West Indian—he can stand and deliver, often moving his front leg out of the way to clear space for his big bat to come through and plunder sixes down the ground or over the leg side.

He boasts a career average for his country of 35.15, while he has a stunning T20 strike-rate of 142.59.

Few bowlers would fancy running into the left-right combination of Gayle and Brendon McCullum, particularly in the powerplay overs when fielding restrictions are in place.

This side will not lack for power, so Virat Kohli comes in at No. 3 in the order to add a bit of panache to proceedings.

That is not to say the India batsman can't hit boundaries or indeed clear the rope: His T20 strike-rate sits at an extremely healthy 131.70.

Although he is yet to reach three figures in the shortest format, he has managed nine 50s in 26 innings. Those knocks have helped give him an average of 46.28.

Kohli also has plenty of T20 experience from representing Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League. He was fifth on the run-scoring charts this season, making 505 at 45.90.

Kevin Pietersen may not be selected by England these days, but I trust him enough to pick him.

The batsman missed the Indian Premier League this year, first due to his bid to win an international recall before injury scuppered his plans to fly out for the closing stages.

KP averages 37.93 in T20 action for England, hitting seven half-centuries in 36 innings. He was also pivotal in helping them win the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 and was named player of the tournament.

He may well become a globetrotting limited-overs player again now his international ambitions have been hit—he has previously played in the Big Bash in Australia, the IPL and the Caribbean Premier League.

AB de Villiers gets in a world XI in any format. He is simply that good with a bat in his hand.

The 31-year-old does not actually have an impressive Twenty20 record for his country, averaging only 22.37 in 54 innings for South Africa.

However, he has been more effective in the Indian Premier League. The right-hander has scored two centuries, one for Delhi in 2009 and then again, this time for Royal Challengers Bangalore, this year.

De Villiers—who holds the record for the fastest century in one-day cricket—has the ability to hit through the full 360 degrees, making him a tricky customer for any bowler to cope with.

The clinical and cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni is selected as the wicketkeeper in the XI.

He is also a master of finishing an innings with the bat, whether it be in a tight run chase or setting a total.

Of his 45 knocks for India in T20 cricket, he has finished unbeaten in 20 of them. That statistic has helped him average 33.96, despite never registering a half-century.

Dhoni has also been a pivotal part of a highly successful Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. They have twice won the tournament, while on four occasions they have been losing finalists.

JP Duminy may be considered somewhat of a surprise selection, but he has an excellent T20 record.

With the bat, he has scored 1,406 runs in action for South Africa, the same number as Chris Gayle (although it should be pointed out he has batted 11 more times than the West Indian).

His average (37.00 versus 37.58) and strike-rate (122.47 versus 121.86) are remarkably similar when comparing his stats in international cricket to his first-class numbers.

Duminy is also a solid option with his off-spin, as he demonstrated in this year's Indian Premier League with eight wickets in 17 overs. At seven, he adds depth to the team with both bat and ball.

Picking from the plethora of big-hitting all-rounders from the West Indies was an extremely tough call to make.

Andre Russell had the highest strike-rate in Indian Premier League in 2015 (192.89), while Darren Sammy and Kieron Pollard have both produced stunning knocks in domestic and international cricket.

However, Dwayne Bravo gets the nod to fill the role of third seamer and lower-order hitter, even if he is not playing for his country right now.

The 31-year-old sits fifth on the all-time wicket-taking list in the history of the Indian Premier League, adding 26 to his tally this year to finish with the Purple Cap as the tournament's top bowler.

There was only room for one Australian called Mitchell in the team, so Starc gets the nod over Johnson.

The New South Welshman has only played 19 international Twenty20 matches, taking 25 wickets. Mind you, he still boasts an impressive economy rate of 6.65 in action for Australia.

His domestic statistics are even better, with Starc—who this year played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League—averaging a wicket every 14.6 deliveries. 

The left-arm paceman picked up 22 wickets in his country's successful Cricket World Cup campaign, but his skill set converts just as easily to the 20-over game.

Limited-overs specialist Lasith Malinga is an expert with the white ball.

His low, slinging bowling arm, plus his ability to change his pace without any obvious alteration to his action, has made him one of the premier pacemen in the world game.

The Sri Lankan is comfortably the leading wicket-taker in the history of the Indian Premier League, adding 24 to his tally this year as he helped Mumbai Indians claim the title.

He is now touring the world as a T20 specialist, including stints playing in Australia, England and the Caribbean. His combination with Starc would be a handful for opposing batsmen to cope with.

With Saeed Ajmal and Sunil Narine both enduring difficult years (it would have been a tough choice between the pair previously), Imran Tahir is selected as the front-line slow bowler.

The Pakistan-born leg-spinner has claimed 25 wickets in 16 T20 appearances for South Africa, all at an economy rate of 6.22.

He has also been an excellent signing by Indian Premier League franchise Delhi, picking up 24 wickets in limited appearances over the past two seasons for the Daredevils.

Tahir is not afraid to use flight as a weapon and also has an excellent googly. If he does get a wicket, expect him to celebrate like it is the first he has ever taken in his career.

Some very, very good players had to be left out of the final XI.

Only two openers could be selected, so Tillakaratne Dilshan, Alex Hales and the Australian duo of Aaron Finch and David Warner all missed out.

Veterans Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene were also overlooked, despite their outstanding service for Sri Lanka over the years.

Glenn Maxwell is a T20 specialist who didn't quite make the final cut for the middle order, and neither did Suresh Raina. Both, though, would have added another slow-bowling option for captain McCullum.

As for the bowlers: Trent Boult and Mitchell Johnson missed out as the left-arm option to Mitchell Starc, while Dale Steyn's stock has fallen after a disappointing IPL campaign with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Saeed Ajmal is the leading T20 wicket-taker but has undergone remedial work on his action. The same has happened to Sunil Narine, who was recently cleared to bowl again, per ESPN Cricinfo.

Ravi Ashwin was another slow bowler who was seriously considered, particularly as he can chip in runs with the bat.

Would any of the honourable mentions have made your team? Has a player been overlooked from the list entirely?

Have your say in the comments section and feel free to post the XI you would select.

All statistics used in the story were from ESPN Cricinfo and IPLT20.com