Flashback 2016: Top 6 T20I batsmen; Virat Kohli stamps his authority in shortest format

New Delhi, Dec 23: World cricket witnessed some amazing batting performances in the T20 international games in the year 2016.

Flashback 2016: India's best 5 T20I wins

Almost every team played T20 games more than normal as the World T20 2016 tournament was to be held this year.

West Indies emerged victorious in this year's World T20 final by defeating England in a last over thriller. Windies outclassed hosts India in the semi-final match after Kohli's masterclass propelled India to a challenging total.

Despite loss in the semi-finals in World T20, India have been the best side in the shortest format of the game this year. Team India played 21 games this year and won 16 of them, one of them was cancelled.

This is how Team India performed in the year 2016:

Vs Australia (in Australia): Played 3, won 3.

Vs Sri Lanka (in India): Played 3, won 2, lost 1.

Asia Cup T20 (in Bangladesh): Played 5, won 5.

World T20 (in India): Played 5, won 3, lost 2.

Vs Zimbabwe (in Zimbabwe): Played 3, won 2, lost 1.

Vs West Indies: Played 2: Lost - 1, No Result - 1.

T20, which is considered as the game of batsmen, saw some incredible batting performances all-round the year.

The year 2016 witnessed an entirely different version of Virat Kohli. The Delhi-lad emerged as most lethal batsman of the year. With his batting masterclass Kohli made batting look so easy that made the like of Aaron Finch envy him.

Thanks to his phenomenal batting, Kohli sits comfortably at the top of the ICC T20 rankings for batsmen. Kohli, who before 2016 averaged 33, scored runs at the rate of 106.83 this year. Kohli averages 57.13 in T20Is and the only batsman to have a 50+ average in all three formats.

Apart from Kohli, his team mate Rohit Sharma is the second highest run getter for India in the T20 format this year. Afghanistan's Mohammad Shahzad is the second successful batsman this year, in terms of runs.

Here are top 6 T20I batsmen in the year 2016:

Virat Kohli (INDIA)

Kohli almost single-handedly dominated in the shortest format of the game with his ability to hit boundaries and sixes at will.

If one adds his IPL performance then Kohli would seem more lethal in the shortest format of the game. He slammed 4 tons in the IPL and amassed 973 runs, most by any batsmen.

He has scored 641 runs in 15 matches at an incredible strike rate of 140.26. The 28-year-old smashed 7 fifties in the year 2016 with 90* being the highest.

Mohammad Shahzad (Afghanistan):

The Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman won the ICC Associate/Affiliate Cricketer of the Year, on Thursday (December 22).

Shahzad, who is a big fan of Indian skipper MS Dhoni, has been the second highest run-scorer in the year 2016 and aggregated 520 runs in 15 matches.

The right-handed batsman slammed 118* against Zimbabwe at Sharjah. He amassed runs at an incredible strike rate of 152.94, better than Virat Kohli's.

Rohit Sharma (India):

The Mumbai-lad is the third highest scorer in the year 2016 and scored 497 runs in 18 T20 matches.

The right-handed batsman from India slammed four half centuries in the year 2016 and averaged 29.23. But his strike rate in 2016 was whopping 131.48.

Sabbir Rahman (Bangladesh):

The right-handed batsman from Bangladesh is the fourth highest run-getter in the year 2016. He has made 463 runs in 16 matches and averaged 35.61.

Rahman might have played 15 off 16 matches at home but his strike rate has been 127.54.

If Bangladesh is taking positive strides towards becoming a force to reckon with, specially on their home soil, young talents like Rahman have played a crucial role in their team's rise.