Former India opener Aakash Chopra picked his top five tours in 2024. The India star has found a place in this list and is also the top pick among the five players.
Hardik Pandya was always going to be the top choice with an excellent year for him in the T20I format. The series was impressive with bat and ball and also played a key role in India's T20 World Cup 2024 victory.
The other four players on this list are Marcus Stonis, Sikandar Raza, Roston Chase, and Azmatullah Omarzai. The criteria for being on this list was to play at least 10 T20Is in the entire year.
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Aakash Chopra picks Hardik Pandya as best T20I pick of 2024
While speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra selected Hardik Pandya as his No. 1 T20I series of the year. Chopra cited Pandya's achievements over the year and recalled how the performances of the tour helped India win the T20 World Cup 2024.
“Hardik Pandya is No. 1. He has scored 352 runs in 17 matches at an average of 44, including a half-century. He scored important runs throughout the World Cup. He has also 16 He picked up David Miller's wicket and even more importantly Heinrich Klaasen's wicket (in the World Cup final),” said Aakash. Chopra.
Hardik Pandya has undoubtedly been a vital cog in India's T20 World Cup campaign in 2024. He has scored runs in critical situations of the tournament and made crucial runs to win the matches for his team.
His batting performance in the semi-final against England and his bowling performance in the final against South Africa helped India win the title. Hardik Pandya scored 144 runs with the bat at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 151.57 and also picked up 11 wickets at an average of 17.36.
Marcus Stonis and Sikandar Raza
The second and third players on this list are Marcus Stonis and Sikandar Raza respectively. While Stonis had an excellent T20 World Cup like Hardik, Raza has a T20I hundred to his name while also leading Zimbabwe to a memorable win over Pakistan.
“I picked Marcus Stoinis at No. 2. He has scored 330 runs at an average of 36 in 17 matches, which means you have done a good job. He has taken 21 wickets in the 17 games,” said Aakash Chopra.
“At No. 3, you get Sikandar Raza. He has scored 573 runs in 24 matches at an average of 28. He has also celebrated a century. He has also taken 24 wickets. There is no doubt about his you have to keep this player on this list,” he explained.
Roston chase and Azmatullah Omarzai
The last two players on this list are Roston Chase and Azmatullah Omarzai. Chase was one of the West Indies' best players in their home T20 World Cup campaign while Omarzai had a superb year with the ball and showed his skills as an all-rounder.
“At No. 4, I have Roston Chase. He is very rare and flies under the radar. He has scored 336 runs in 22 innings with a top 67 and an average of 28. He has also taken 15 wickets and bowled to raise economically,” explained Aakash Chopra.
“At No. 5, I have kept Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai. I find him a good player. He has scored 269 runs in 21 matches. His batting average is not very good, but he has Picked up 18 wickets at an average of 22,” added the former Indian batsman.
Hardik Pandya is an established T20I player but will aim to stamp his authority in the ODI format as well. With the Champions Trophy coming up in less than a couple of months, Hardik Pandya will be crucial for India's chances in the tournament.
