Feature

The Best XI of the 2016 CPL

ESPNcricinfo presents the Best XI of CPL 2016, while adhering to the four-overseas-players rule. Jamaica Tallawahs lead the way, with three players in the XI

1. Johnson Charles - 441 runs, 143.18 strike rate
After a relatively modest start to the season, Charles caught fire on the St Lucia Zouks' home leg, scoring 341 runs at an average of 56.83 over the final seven games of the season to put them in the CPL playoffs for the first time in four seasons. He finished as the second-highest run-scorer, after Chris Lynn.
2. Chris Gayle (capt)- 425 runs, 155.67 strike rate
Chris Gayle blew hot and cold throughout the season, but was positively scorching when he got going. He made the most of a dropped chance on 5 against Trinbago Knight Riders to score the highest score of the season, 108 not out. He ended up third overall on the run charts, while leading Jamaica Tallawahs to their second CPL title.
3. Chris Lynn - 454 runs, 133.13 strike rate
After struggling with Tallawahs in 2015, making just 167 runs in nine innings, Lynn thrived in the new surroundings with Guyana Amazon Warriors to be the leading scorer in CPL 2016. Drafted in the fourth round in the $90,000 bracket, he was a relative bargain and took Amazon Warriors one step short of their maiden CPL title.
4. Colin Munro - 382 runs, 144.15 strike rate
In terms of overseas buys, few better returns on investment could be had than what Munro offered for Knight Riders after being taken in the eighth round for $30,000. Munro became the first overseas player to score a CPL ton, bashing an unbeaten 100 against Amazon Warriors, and finished fifth overall in runs.
5. Shane Watson - 287 runs, 151.85 strike rate; 12 wickets, 7.65 economy
Watson had a stellar all-round campaign for Zouks. He was the only player to finish in the top ten for both runs (tied for ninth) and wickets (tied for tenth) in his maiden CPL season.
6. Andre Russell - 286 runs, 172.28 strike rate; 11 wickets, 8.42 economy
Russell continued his stellar 2016 by regularly making his mark in the slog overs, with both bat or ball. His hundred in the eliminator against Knight Riders stamped a spot in the final for Tallawahs and helped him earn Player-of-the-Tournament honours.
7. Nicholas Pooran (wk) - 217 runs, strike rate 197.27; eight dismissals
Edges out Kumar Sangakkara (strike rate of 132) for the wicketkeeper's slot based on his ferocious hitting. In his first season of professional cricket in 18 months following a career-threatening car accident in January 2015, Pooran justified his selection by Barbados Tridents in the fourth round of the draft by finishing with the highest strike rate of any batsman who had faced more than four balls or scored more than 30 runs - Russell, in second place, was 25 behind him.
8. Dwayne Bravo - 21 wickets, 8.42 economy; 177 runs, 140.47 strike rate
Though his batting contributions were slightly smaller than usual, Bravo was the leading wicket-taker this season, with his slower ball foxing numerous batsmen along the way.
9. Sohail Tanvir - 20 wickets, 6.45 economy
While other overseas players such as AB de Villiers arrived with more fanfare, Tanvir was arguably the most valuable overseas commodity of the season, fully justifying his selection in the first round of the draft by bagging 20 wickets at a superb economy rate to spearhead the Amazon Warriors' bowling attack.
10. Kesrick Williams - 17 wickets, 8.02 economy
There was no greater value in this year's CPL draft than Williams, who was taken in the 13th round for just $5,000. Rivalling Bravo in the dancing celebration stakes, Williams was Tallawahs' leading wicket-taker and finished third overall to guide the title-winning pace attack.
11. Sunil Narine - 14 wickets, 5.55 economy
Narine beats Adam Zampa for the specialist spinner's slot, keeping the four overseas players limit in mind but also due to his vastly superior economy rate (Zampa managed 7.07). Narine was unplayable at times, twice bowling four-over spells of 1 for 9, and was the only bowler to bowl more than one maiden this season.

Peter Della Penna is ESPNcricinfo's USA correspondent. @PeterDellaPenna