As part of Wisden's end-of-year review, here is the men's T20 team of the year, as selected by our editorial team.
Being an odd year, 2025 did not have a T20 World Cup. However, there was a surge in T20Is towards the end of the year as preparation for the 2026 edition, to be played in the first quarter. Of course, there were the usual T20 franchise leagues (including The Hundred) throughout the year.
Wisden’s 2025 Men’s T20 Team of the Year has been selected based on all T20 matches.
Abhishek Sharma (India, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab)
1,602 runs, SR 202, HS: 148, 3 hundreds
10 wickets, ec 9.32, BBI: 3-23
T20 cricket is more than two decades old now, but in 2025, Abhishek became the first to finish a calendar year with a thousand runs at more than two runs a ball. In T20Is, he scored 859 runs at 193 (the best strike rate in a calendar year with a 500-run cut-off) – and amassed more than a quarter of the runs for his team. An automatic choice.
Phil Salt (England, Manchester Originals, Lancashire, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders) – wk
1,575 runs, SR 153, HS: 141*, 1 hundred | Ct: 30
Salt played more matches than Tim Seifert and Mitchell Marsh, and had incredible numbers for England and, in the most competitive league, for the RCB in their maiden IPL-winning campaign (strike rate 176 for both), but there was some excellent hitting in The Hundred as well.
Dewald Brevis (South Africa, MI Cape Town, Pretoria Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, Hampshire)
1,200 runs, SR 181, HS: 125*, 1 hundred
Brevis’ career took off in 2025. After meandering around the 140-mark until the end of 2024, he struck at over 180 in each of the three major leagues in 2025 – the IPL, the SA20, and The Hundred. He struck at over 170 in every position from three to seven: in this XI, he will bat at one-drop.
Sam Curran (England, Surrey, Oval Invincibles, Chennai Super Kings, Desert Vipers)
1,521 runs, SR 143, HS: 88
51 wickets, ec 8.72, BBI: 4-18
Having never scored a thousand T20 runs in any year, Curran went past 1,500 in 2025, batting mostly at two-down. His year started and ended with two editions of the ILT20: he was the Player of the Tournament in both. In the 2025/26 edition, he led the Desert Vipers to their maiden title. He is one of several batters with floating positions in this XI.
Donovan Ferreira (South Africa, Titans, Joburg Super Kings, Delhi Capital, Oval Invincibles, Texas Super Kings)
809 runs, SR 187, HS: 63
13 wickets, ec 7.90, BBI: 3-23
One of the most devastating T20 batters in the middle order, Ferreira hit a six every 6.6 balls in 2025 and a boundary every 3.9. He reached 35 only seven times in 38 innings – an obvious outcome of his batting position – and scored at a minimum of 195 every time. He also led South Africa in T20Is and later, JSK in SA20, bowls, and keeps wicket.
Tim David (Australia, Hobart Hurricanes, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, St Lucia Kings, Rangpur Riders, Gulf Giants, Sharjah Warriorz)
1,231 runs, SR 173, HS: 102*, 1 hundred
The usual year at the office for David, who played at least five innings in four different countries and struck at more than 165 in each of them. The most devastating innings came in a T20I at Basseterre: chasing 215 against the West Indies, Australia were 87-4 when he walked out and blasted a 37-ball 102 not out with 11 sixes.
Sunil Narine (Trinbago Knight Riders, Kolkata Knight Riders, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Los Angeles Knight Riders)
395 runs, SR 150, HS: 44
36 wickets, ec 6.66, BBI: 3-13
Narine had the best economy rate among the 15 men who bowled 150 overs in the format in 2025 – and he did that by bowling four overs in 47 of his 51 games. Narine also scored at a rapid rate, especially at the top, where he struck at 170. If needed, he may adopt that role.
Jason Holder (West Indies, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Islamabad United, Khulna Tigers, Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Los Angeles Knight Riders)
846 runs, SR 160, HS: 63
97 wickets, ec 8.30, BBI: 4-14
The leading T20 wicket-taker in 2025, Holder peaked in the CPL, where he struck at 168 and picked up 13 wickets. But he also picked up 15 wickets in the PSL and 29 across his two ILT20 stints at the extreme ends of the year. In T20Is, he was in exceptional form against Pakistan in the USA, with 6-88 in 12 overs and 46 runs (once dismissed) in 24 balls.
Jacob Duffy (New Zealand, Otago, Worcestershire, Northern Superchargers)
58 wickets, ER 7.90, BBI: 4-14
Unlike most others in this XI, Duffy played most of his matches in T20Is (21 out of 41). His 35 T20I wickets (average 15.08, economy 7.47) in 2025 were the most for a Full Member fast bowler for any non-T20-World-Cup calendar year, and included two five-match series where he breached the 10-wicket mark.
Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh, Dhaka Capitals, Rangpur Riders, Delhi Capitals, Dubai Capitals)
59 wickets, ER 6.78, BBI: 3-11
With a 150-over cut-off, no one matched Mustafizur’s bowling average (18.03) in 2025. No seamer was as economical as in 2025, and only Holder had a better strike rate. He cut down runs and took wickets throughout the year.
Varun Chakravarthy (India, Tamil Nadu, Kolkata Knight Riders)
55 wickets, ER 7.62, BBI: 5-24, 1 5WI
Like Duffy, Varun played most of his games in internationals (20 out of 36). His absurd numbers for India (36 wickets at 13.19 and 7.08) highlight his impact in the format, and probably overshadow an excellent season for KKR (17 wickets at 22.52 and 7.66).
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