The best seasons in the archive

Forty player-seasons, rated on what happened in them rather than on reputation. Thirteen players in the whole archive reach 95.

A season here is one player, one competition, one year — not a career. The rating is how far that season stood from the middle of everyone who played the same format, computed from ball-by-ball records. Nothing is weighted by fame and nothing is copied from another list.

A qualification applies: at least six matches, and either 150 deliveries faced or 300 bowled. Without it the table fills with two-match cameos, which is a different and much less interesting list.

The forty best seasons on record

	Player	Season	Competition	Role	M	Runs	SR	Wkts	Econ
1	MM Ali	2019	T20 Blast	AR	7	365	171	11	6.69
2	Khushdil Shah	2024/25	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	10	298	175	17	6.04
3	SR Watson	2012/13	Twenty20 internationals	AR	6	249	150	11	7.33
4	RA Jadeja	2016/17	Test cricket	PACE	13	556	69	71	2.26
5	Shadab Khan	2021/22	Pakistan Super League	AR	9	268	162	19	6.47
6	KR Mayers	2023/24	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	6	243	158	9	5.91
7	BFW de Leede	2022	Twenty20 internationals	AR	7	289	123	10	—
8	Sikandar Raza	2024/25	Twenty20 internationals	AR	11	316	161	13	4.81
9	Shahid Afridi	2009	Twenty20 internationals	AR	9	226	140	15	5.11
10	MG Johnson	2008/09	Test cricket	PACE	12	527	65	60	2.86
11	GP Swann	2009/10	Test cricket	PACE	6	209	100	37	3.01
12	SP Narine	2024	Indian T20 League	AR	14	488	181	17	6.69
13	DJ Willey	2015	T20 Blast	AR	10	288	175	15	7.08
14	MW Short	2026	Major League Cricket	AR	12	513	146	17	7.43
15	Shakib Al Hasan	2012/13	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	10	314	168	13	6.36
16	Sikandar Raza	2023/24	Twenty20 internationals	AR	15	595	148	20	6.41
17	S Ravichandran	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	13	390	152	14	2.69
18	Shakib Al Hasan	2010/11	One-day internationals	AR	14	511	85	28	4.85
19	A Flintoff	2004	One-day internationals	AR	8	406	115	11	3.98
20	Shakib Al Hasan	2016/17	Test cricket	AR	7	656	68	29	3.14
21	Harbhajan Singh	2010/11	Test cricket	PACE	8	414	69	36	2.89
22	SCJ Broad	2011	Test cricket	PACE	7	239	94	33	2.72
23	JL Denly	2018	T20 Blast	AR	13	409	145	20	7.76
24	DR Sams	2023	T20 Blast	AR	17	419	173	25	8.40
25	Shakib Al Hasan	2021/22	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	11	284	144	16	5.36
26	Virandeep Singh	2023	Twenty20 internationals	AR	9	294	132	10	3.79
27	Aqib Ilyas	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	18	479	117	28	6.10
28	MG Erasmus	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	13	371	131	18	6.28
29	Shakib Al Hasan	2022/23	One-day internationals	AR	9	331	90	16	4.84
30	BJ McMullen	2023	One-day internationals	AR	7	364	89	13	4.85
31	SR Watson	2009/10	One-day internationals	AR	23	1009	91	32	5.03
32	DL Vettori	2009/10	One-day internationals	AR	14	363	101	24	3.78
33	Shakib Al Hasan	2011/12	One-day internationals	AR	10	374	88	16	4.07
34	A Flintoff	2003/04	One-day internationals	AR	6	223	116	8	3.38
35	JM Davison	2002/03	One-day internationals	AR	6	226	119	10	4.45
36	CJ Anderson	2013/14	One-day internationals	AR	11	394	163	19	6.12
37	R Ashwin	2020/21	Test cricket	PACE	7	267	47	44	2.53
38	Harbhajan Singh	2008/09	Test cricket	PACE	8	288	65	39	2.51
39	DL Vettori	2009/10	Test cricket	AR	6	470	70	22	2.73
40	R Ashwin	2011/12	Test cricket	PACE	6	284	73	31	3.16

Why all-rounders own the top of it

The list is dominated by players who did both, and that is a property of the measurement rather than a bug in it. A rating is impact per match. A batter contributes with the bat, a bowler with the ball, and an all-rounder having a good year contributes twice in the same ninety-odd matches — so his impact per match is genuinely higher.

It is worth knowing when reading the number: 95 for an all-rounder and 95 for an opening batter are the same distance from the middle, but they were reached by different routes. In the game this matters, because an eleven of all-rounders wins fewer matches than its average rating suggests — it has nobody who does either thing outstandingly.

Twenty20

	Player	Season	Competition	Role	M	Runs	SR	Wkts	Econ
1	MM Ali	2019	T20 Blast	AR	7	365	171	11	6.69
2	Khushdil Shah	2024/25	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	10	298	175	17	6.04
3	SR Watson	2012/13	Twenty20 internationals	AR	6	249	150	11	7.33
4	Shadab Khan	2021/22	Pakistan Super League	AR	9	268	162	19	6.47
5	KR Mayers	2023/24	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	6	243	158	9	5.91
6	BFW de Leede	2022	Twenty20 internationals	AR	7	289	123	10	—
7	Sikandar Raza	2024/25	Twenty20 internationals	AR	11	316	161	13	4.81
8	Shahid Afridi	2009	Twenty20 internationals	AR	9	226	140	15	5.11
9	SP Narine	2024	Indian T20 League	AR	14	488	181	17	6.69
10	DJ Willey	2015	T20 Blast	AR	10	288	175	15	7.08
11	MW Short	2026	Major League Cricket	AR	12	513	146	17	7.43
12	Shakib Al Hasan	2012/13	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	10	314	168	13	6.36
13	Sikandar Raza	2023/24	Twenty20 internationals	AR	15	595	148	20	6.41
14	S Ravichandran	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	13	390	152	14	2.69
15	JL Denly	2018	T20 Blast	AR	13	409	145	20	7.76
16	DR Sams	2023	T20 Blast	AR	17	419	173	25	8.40
17	Shakib Al Hasan	2021/22	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	11	284	144	16	5.36
18	Virandeep Singh	2023	Twenty20 internationals	AR	9	294	132	10	3.79
19	Aqib Ilyas	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	18	479	117	28	6.10
20	MG Erasmus	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	13	371	131	18	6.28
21	SR Watson	2007/08	Indian T20 League	AR	15	472	152	17	7.07
22	JP Faulkner	2015	T20 Blast	AR	13	302	141	25	6.26
23	DS Airee	2021/22	Twenty20 internationals	AR	13	556	139	14	5.44
24	KS Leverock	2022/23	Twenty20 internationals	AR	6	312	167	8	—
25	Abhishek Sharma	2024/25	Twenty20 internationals	BAT	12	411	200	4	—

One-day cricket

	Player	Season	Competition	Role	M	Runs	SR	Wkts	Econ
1	Shakib Al Hasan	2010/11	One-day internationals	AR	14	511	85	28	4.85
2	A Flintoff	2004	One-day internationals	AR	8	406	115	11	3.98
3	Shakib Al Hasan	2022/23	One-day internationals	AR	9	331	90	16	4.84
4	BJ McMullen	2023	One-day internationals	AR	7	364	89	13	4.85
5	SR Watson	2009/10	One-day internationals	AR	23	1009	91	32	5.03
6	DL Vettori	2009/10	One-day internationals	AR	14	363	101	24	3.78
7	Shakib Al Hasan	2011/12	One-day internationals	AR	10	374	88	16	4.07
8	A Flintoff	2003/04	One-day internationals	AR	6	223	116	8	3.38
9	JM Davison	2002/03	One-day internationals	AR	6	226	119	10	4.45
10	CJ Anderson	2013/14	One-day internationals	AR	11	394	163	19	6.12
11	Hasan Ali	2017/18	One-day internationals	PACE	9	71	—	20	4.88
12	Aqib Ilyas	2019/20	One-day internationals	AR	6	400	82	10	3.94
13	PWH de Silva	2023	One-day internationals	PACE	7	91	128	22	5.13
14	MG Johnson	2011	One-day internationals	PACE	8	69	—	18	4.52
15	DJ Bravo	2013/14	One-day internationals	AR	11	432	94	18	5.44
16	JN Gillespie	2004	One-day internationals	PACE	7	33	—	15	3.54
17	JO Holder	2017/18	One-day internationals	AR	8	238	93	17	4.86
18	BFW de Leede	2023	One-day internationals	AR	7	285	101	15	5.66
19	Shahid Afridi	2007/08	One-day internationals	AR	18	341	150	25	4.72
20	Shahid Afridi	2010/11	One-day internationals	AR	19	346	126	31	4.39
21	GP Swann	2011	One-day internationals	PACE	9	71	—	16	3.99
22	Shahid Afridi	2011/12	One-day internationals	AR	16	345	115	24	4.77
23	SB Styris	2003/04	One-day internationals	AR	7	299	93	11	4.79
24	B Lee	2004/05	One-day internationals	PACE	9	91	85	19	4.56
25	Shahid Afridi	2004/05	One-day internationals	AR	13	398	192	15	4.77

Test cricket

	Player	Season	Competition	Role	M	Runs	SR	Wkts	Econ
1	RA Jadeja	2016/17	Test cricket	PACE	13	556	69	71	2.26
2	MG Johnson	2008/09	Test cricket	PACE	12	527	65	60	2.86
3	GP Swann	2009/10	Test cricket	PACE	6	209	100	37	3.01
4	Shakib Al Hasan	2016/17	Test cricket	AR	7	656	68	29	3.14
5	Harbhajan Singh	2010/11	Test cricket	PACE	8	414	69	36	2.89
6	SCJ Broad	2011	Test cricket	PACE	7	239	94	33	2.72
7	R Ashwin	2020/21	Test cricket	PACE	7	267	47	44	2.53
8	Harbhajan Singh	2008/09	Test cricket	PACE	8	288	65	39	2.51
9	DL Vettori	2009/10	Test cricket	AR	6	470	70	22	2.73
10	R Ashwin	2011/12	Test cricket	PACE	6	284	73	31	3.16
11	MG Johnson	2013/14	Test cricket	PACE	8	231	57	59	2.85
12	HMRKB Herath	2016	Test cricket	PACE	6	228	54	35	2.62
13	CR Woakes	2016	Test cricket	PACE	6	282	44	34	2.90
14	VD Philander	2017/18	Test cricket	PACE	8	259	49	33	2.22
15	R Ashwin	2022/23	Test cricket	PACE	6	198	51	32	2.74
16	P Kumar	2011	Test cricket	PACE	6	149	94	27	2.60
17	R Ashwin	2012/13	Test cricket	PACE	8	263	53	43	2.76
18	SK Warne	2004/05	Test cricket	PACE	6	131	76	30	2.67
19	SCJ Broad	2014	Test cricket	PACE	7	183	107	26	2.52
20	MM Ali	2017	Test cricket	PACE	7	361	73	30	3.33
21	HMRKB Herath	2016/17	Test cricket	PACE	7	167	49	41	2.79
22	PJ Cummins	2017/18	Test cricket	PACE	9	255	43	45	2.94
23	PJ Cummins	2023/24	Test cricket	PACE	7	195	64	30	2.85
24	NM Lyon	2023/24	Test cricket	PACE	7	147	69	34	3.02
25	HMRKB Herath	2011/12	Test cricket	PACE	8	194	51	39	2.38

The best batting seasons

Filtered to seasons of 400 runs or more, and to players whose primary contribution is batting.

	Player	Season	Competition	Role	M	Runs	SR	Wkts	Econ
1	SP Narine	2024	Indian T20 League	AR	14	488	181	17	6.69
2	MW Short	2026	Major League Cricket	AR	12	513	146	17	7.43
3	Sikandar Raza	2023/24	Twenty20 internationals	AR	15	595	148	20	6.41
4	Shakib Al Hasan	2010/11	One-day internationals	AR	14	511	85	28	4.85
5	A Flintoff	2004	One-day internationals	AR	8	406	115	11	3.98
6	Shakib Al Hasan	2016/17	Test cricket	AR	7	656	68	29	3.14
7	JL Denly	2018	T20 Blast	AR	13	409	145	20	7.76
8	DR Sams	2023	T20 Blast	AR	17	419	173	25	8.40
9	Aqib Ilyas	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	18	479	117	28	6.10
10	SR Watson	2009/10	One-day internationals	AR	23	1009	91	32	5.03
11	DL Vettori	2009/10	Test cricket	AR	6	470	70	22	2.73
12	SR Watson	2007/08	Indian T20 League	AR	15	472	152	17	7.07
13	DS Airee	2021/22	Twenty20 internationals	AR	13	556	139	14	5.44
14	Abhishek Sharma	2024/25	Twenty20 internationals	BAT	12	411	200	4	—
15	Virandeep Singh	2025	Twenty20 internationals	AR	14	462	144	21	5.90
16	Aqib Ilyas	2019/20	One-day internationals	AR	6	400	82	10	3.94
17	DJ Bravo	2013/14	One-day internationals	AR	11	432	94	18	5.44
18	WG Jacks	2023	T20 Blast	BAT	16	558	157	10	—
19	LS Livingstone	2026	T20 Blast	AR	10	456	165	12	7.75
20	AK Markram	2021	Twenty20 internationals	BAT	13	408	150	5	—
21	Taranjeet Singh	2022	Twenty20 internationals	AR	11	428	166	17	6.50
22	AB de Villiers	2014/15	One-day internationals	WK	19	1161	131	7	6.00
23	RR Pant	2018	Indian T20 League	WK	14	684	174	—	—
24	KL Rahul	2018	Indian T20 League	WK	14	659	158	—	—
25	AB de Villiers	2018	Indian T20 League	BAT	12	480	175	—	—

The best bowling seasons

Filtered to seasons of fifteen wickets or more.

	Player	Season	Competition	Role	M	Runs	SR	Wkts	Econ
1	Khushdil Shah	2024/25	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	10	298	175	17	6.04
2	RA Jadeja	2016/17	Test cricket	PACE	13	556	69	71	2.26
3	Shadab Khan	2021/22	Pakistan Super League	AR	9	268	162	19	6.47
4	Shahid Afridi	2009	Twenty20 internationals	AR	9	226	140	15	5.11
5	MG Johnson	2008/09	Test cricket	PACE	12	527	65	60	2.86
6	GP Swann	2009/10	Test cricket	PACE	6	209	100	37	3.01
7	SP Narine	2024	Indian T20 League	AR	14	488	181	17	6.69
8	DJ Willey	2015	T20 Blast	AR	10	288	175	15	7.08
9	MW Short	2026	Major League Cricket	AR	12	513	146	17	7.43
10	Sikandar Raza	2023/24	Twenty20 internationals	AR	15	595	148	20	6.41
11	Shakib Al Hasan	2010/11	One-day internationals	AR	14	511	85	28	4.85
12	Shakib Al Hasan	2016/17	Test cricket	AR	7	656	68	29	3.14
13	Harbhajan Singh	2010/11	Test cricket	PACE	8	414	69	36	2.89
14	SCJ Broad	2011	Test cricket	PACE	7	239	94	33	2.72
15	JL Denly	2018	T20 Blast	AR	13	409	145	20	7.76
16	DR Sams	2023	T20 Blast	AR	17	419	173	25	8.40
17	Shakib Al Hasan	2021/22	Bangladesh Premier League	AR	11	284	144	16	5.36
18	Aqib Ilyas	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	18	479	117	28	6.10
19	MG Erasmus	2024	Twenty20 internationals	AR	13	371	131	18	6.28
20	Shakib Al Hasan	2022/23	One-day internationals	AR	9	331	90	16	4.84
21	SR Watson	2009/10	One-day internationals	AR	23	1009	91	32	5.03
22	DL Vettori	2009/10	One-day internationals	AR	14	363	101	24	3.78
23	Shakib Al Hasan	2011/12	One-day internationals	AR	10	374	88	16	4.07
24	CJ Anderson	2013/14	One-day internationals	AR	11	394	163	19	6.12
25	R Ashwin	2020/21	Test cricket	PACE	7	267	47	44	2.53

Every figure in these tables is computed from the same archive the game deals cards from. If a rating here looks wrong to you, it is wrong in the game too, and the method is written up in full.