5 contenders for T20 International Performance of the Year Award
In 2008, the ICC added a category to its annual award ceremony to honour the best T20 international performer of the year.
55 T20Is took place during the 2017 window, and there were some truly unbelievable individual performances.
New Zealand sits on top of the ICC T20I rankings, while India is at No. 5. Rashid Khan leads the wicket-takers list and Evin Lewis has scored the most runs.
Let's look at the top five contenders for the Twenty20 International Performance of the Year Award.
#5 Asela Gunaratne
This young right-hander has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal year for Sri Lankan cricket. He is a stylish batsman with great technique and timing and is tenacious under pressure.
In a T20I game against Australia at Geelong, he scored an unbeaten 84 off 46 balls to take Sri Lanka to victory. It was a brilliant knock, considering that Sri Lanka was reeling at 40/5, chasing 174. He came in at No. 5 and hit six fours and five sixes.
He helped his team clinch the T20I series 2-1, and was Man of the Series for his stunning batting display throughout the tournament.