In a surprising announcement by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the ODI Team of the Year for 2024 has been revealed, and it includes a major shock—no Indian cricketer made the cut. Despite Team India finishing as the runner-up in the last ODI World Cup, the ICC has chosen to leave out any Indian players, which has left many fans and analysts bewildered. The lineup consists of 11 players, with 10 hailing from Asian nations, while the only non-Asian cricketer is West Indian Sherfane Rutherford.
The captaincy of the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2024 has gone to Sri Lankan all-rounder Charith Asalanka, which is another surprising turn given the dominance of cricketers from other cricketing powerhouses like India, Australia, and England. The team features players from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the West Indies, highlighting the rising prominence of Asian cricket, with players like Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf also making the cut. However, notable cricketing nations like Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa, along with India, are conspicuously absent from the list.
The list of selected players for the ICC ODI Team of the Year 2024 includes:
- Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka – Captain)
- Saam Ayub (Pakistan)
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan)
- Pattum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)
- Kushal Mendis (Sri Lanka, Wicketkeeper)
- Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies)
- Ajmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
- Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
- Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)
- Haris Rauf (Pakistan)
- Allah Mohammed Ghaz (Afghanistan)
In the Women’s ICC ODI Team of the Year 2024, India’s Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma earned their spots, representing the strength of Indian women’s cricket on the global stage.