Picking the best Men's T20 playing XI of 2025 ft. Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy 

2025 was just another stepping stone for T20 cricket as it continues to engulf the majority of the cricketing calendar through internationals and the ever-growing domain of franchise cricket. With multiple leagues, and the fact that the year was a crucial period in the lead-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup, there was no shortage of action at all.

There is a large section of players who dominated the format, pushed the limit successfully, thereby setting a new standard, which will be target in 2026. Unsurprisingly, it is the big-hitting batters who had a year to remember, as they leave anchors on the brink of extinction.

Spinners and pacers also had their say as they attempted to reinvent themselves, keep the batters on their toes, and not allow them to run away with pure slogging.

On that note, let us take a look at the best Men's T20 playing XI of 2025.

Top Order: Abhishek Sharma, Phil Salt, and Nicholas Pooran

The reigning No.1 T20I batter, Abhishek Sharma, had a stellar year predominantly for India, while also making an impact for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2025. The explosive opener completed his arc from a newcomer to a generational T20I batter over the course of the last 12 months, and finished as 2025's fifth-highest run-getter with 1602 runs in 41 matches at an average of 41.07, and a massive strike rate of 202.01.

Phil Salt, ranked No.2 in the T20I ratings, also had a stellar year for both country and franchise in the T20 circuit. After playing an important role in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL title, he went on to slam the highest T20I score by an England batter during the home series against South Africa in September. He finishes as the sixth-highest run-getter in T20s in 2025.

Nicholas Pooran was the leading run scorer in T20 cricket in 2025 after featuring in 63 matches around the globe. He enjoyed a dominant individual campaign for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2025 IPL, scoring 524 runs to finish as the 11th-highest run getter. Overall, he amassed 1918 runs at an average of 39.95 and a strike rate of 149.26. The southpaw also smashed 15 fifties last year, the most by any batter in that timeframe.

Middle Order: Dewald Brevis, Sam Curran, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd

After a patchy couple of years, Dewald Brevis reminded everyone that the initial hype around him was justified. The South African came in as a replacement player for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025, and became a major force in the middle-order. He also sparkled in international cricket, as he slammed his maiden T20I hundred during the tour of Australia in August. He finished with 1200 runs in 46 matches at an average of 35.29 and a strike rate of 181.26.

England all-rounder Sam Curran's exploits with Surrey and the Oval Invincibles earned him a recall to the national T20I setup, showcasing his dominance in 2025. Availing the chances to bat a bit higher up the order, he made the most of it by scoring 1521 runs in 55 innings at an average of 36.21 and a strike rate of 143.35. He even managed to close out 2025 on a high following a dominant campaign in the International League T20 (ILT20) while leading the Desert Vipers.

The dynamic and explosive duo of Tim David and Romario Shepherd have been the standout finishers in 2025. The Australian scored 1231 runs in 56 matches at an average of 39.70 and a strike rate of 172.89. He even struck his maiden T20 hundred during the tour of the Caribbean midway through the year.

Romario Shepherd, on the other hand, scored 897 runs with a strike rate of 176.92. He also contributed with the ball by bagging 51 wickets at an average of 29.56.

Lower Order: Jason Holder, Varun Chakaravarthy, Noor Ahmad, and Josh Hazlewood

West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder made a strong comeback in 2025. He finished as the top leading wicket-taker of the year, with 97 scalps. The pacer broke Rashid Khan's record of 96 wickets in 2018, to claim the record of most wickets in a calendar year. The Caribbean ace had a stellar 2025 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign for the St.Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where he was among the runs and wickets.

Among spinners, the mystery pair of Noor Ahmad and Varun Chakaravarthy were arguably in a league of their own. While the Indian mystery spinner climbed to the top of the rankings in T20I cricket, the Afghanistan left-arm wrist spinner was the second-highest wicket taker in 2025, and the highest among tweakers.

Australia veteran seamer Josh Hazlewood may not have had many matches under his belt in 2025 amid injury and workload management concerns, but his strong performances and the sheer impact he made, is enough to make him the pace spearhead of 2025. The right-arm bowler picked up 34 wickets in just 20 matches at an average of 17.20 and an economy of 8.23. He was a vital cog in RCB's IPL title win in 2025, and was prolific in the bilateral series against South Africa, New Zealand, and India.

Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news

Edited by Gokul Nair