Mustafizur Rahman Included In Wisden’s T20I Team Of The Year

Bangladesh’s left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman has received well-deserved recognition for his exceptional performances across international fixtures and various franchise T20 leagues last year. Cricket’s globally respected website Wisden has compiled its annual Best T20 XI, analysing performances from all recognised T20 matches, and Mustafizur has earned a place in this prestigious lineup.

With the 2026 T20 World Cup on the horizon, the latter part of last year saw a significant increase in international T20 fixtures. In addition, multiple franchise leagues were held across the world, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and domestic competitions in Bangladesh and elsewhere. Wisden’s editorial team evaluated all these performances to select the standout XI, highlighting players who consistently impacted games throughout 2025.

Regarding Mustafizur’s achievements, Wisden noted that among bowlers who delivered over 150 overs last year, no one came close to his bowling average of 18.03. His economy was unparalleled among pacers, with only Jason Holder surpassing him in strike rate. Mustafizur’s ability to regularly restrict runs while taking wickets made him one of the most formidable T20 bowlers globally.

In 2025, he played 43 innings, claiming 59 wickets, conceding just 6.78 runs per over, and maintaining a strike rate of 15.9. His standout bowling figures of 3 wickets for 11 runs underline his capacity for game-changing spells. For comparison, Caribbean pace all-rounder Jason Holder bowled 250.2 overs, taking 97 wickets, with a strike rate of 15.4 but a higher average of 21.42.

Wisden’s Best XI features two specialist spinners, two pace bowlers, and two pace-bowling all-rounders. Alongside Mustafizur are New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Sam Curran, and Holder.

Opening the innings are India’s Abhishek Sharma and England’s Phil Salt. Sharma scored 1,602 runs in 40 innings, striking at an astonishing 202.01, along with 10 wickets, while Salt amassed 1,575 runs in 52 innings at a strike rate of 153.35, also keeping wickets for his team. Middle-order hitters include South Africa’s David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, and Australia’s Tim David, with Ferreira excelling in the powerplay and middle overs, striking a six every 6.6 balls and a four every 3.9 balls. Miller maintained strike rates above 180 across three franchise leagues, batting predominantly at positions three to seven.

Mustafizur’s inclusion in Wisden’s Best T20 XI is a testament not only to his skill and consistency but also to the growing stature of Bangladeshi cricket on the international stage.