ESPNcricinfo revealed the top five international cricketers of the 21st century during an awards event in Mumbai this evening.
The rankings establish a definitive historical record for the modern era, synthesizing the impact of players across various formats of the game. Because the list relies on a jury of former legends, it provides a peer-reviewed perspective on greatness that transcends simple statistics.
The final rankings are the culmination of a list featuring 25 cricketers [1]. This selection process covered the geographic and temporal span of the sport from 2000 to 2025 [1]. The reveal in Mumbai followed a countdown period that lasted two weeks [3].
To determine the rankings, ESPNcricinfo assembled a jury of eminent cricket personalities. The panel included former players Ravi Shastri, Matthew Hayden, Andy Flower, Greg Chappell, Eoin Morgan, and Wasim Akram [1]. These experts evaluated the players to identify the top tier of five athletes [2].
Beyond the primary men's list, the event featured specialized honors. The organization presented awards for the greatest women's cricketer, the greatest T20 batter, and the greatest T20 bowler [1]. These additions ensure the recognition of the sport's evolution, specifically the rise of women's international play and the dominance of the shortest format of the game.
The event serves as a formal recognition of the era's most influential figures. By bringing together a diverse jury of former captains and specialists, the process aimed to balance longevity with peak performance across the 2000-2025 window [1].
“The rankings establish a definitive historical record for the modern era.”
This ranking reflects the shift in cricket's global landscape between 2000 and 2025, particularly the transition from Test-match dominance to the T20 era. By including specific categories for women and T20 specialists, the awards acknowledge that 'greatness' is no longer measured by a single format, but by a player's ability to adapt to a diversifying international game.
