With the evolution of T20 cricket, the world has witnessed new shots being introduced in the sport. From traditional leg-glance and straight drive to lofted sweep and reverse sweep– the cricketing extravaganza fails to seize with new innovations getting introduced in the game with every passing day.

Any batsman is associated with a signature shot that defines his batting style. Be it Sachin Tendulkar’s straight drive, Virat Kohli’s cover drive or Ricky Ponting’s pull– fans are often left awestruck by witnessing these trademark shots by players. However, with the evolution of the game, the sweep shot has become a necessity for any batsman in order to elevate his game.

In the modern era, there are many players who possess the ability to sweep any delivery off to the stands against spin as well as seam bowling. Such players incorporate many sweep shots while playing their explosive game in the shorter formats.

Here’s a list of five best sweepers of the game:

5. Mushfiqur Rahim

Since breaking into the Bangladesh side in 2005, Mushfiqur Rahim has evolved as one of the prominent faces of his national side. With the experience of plying his trade across all formats, the wicketkeeper-batsman is known for his sweep shots, especially against spinners.

Be it with the red ball or white, the right-hander never shies away from experimenting and implementing sweep shots into his batting style. An impressive batting record speaks for Mushfiqur Rahim’s expertise with the willow.

In a career spanning over 218 ODIs, he has mustered 6174 runs including seven tons and 38 half-centuries. In the longest format, he has seven tons and 21 half-centuries under his belt in 70 Tests. Sweeping is surely an art and looks like the Bangladesh stalwart has incorporated ‘the sweep’ into his game since breaking into the national side at a young age. The wicketkeeper-batsman never backs down to experiment and play unorthodox shots including sweeps in Bangladesh Premier League.

4. Nicholas Pooran

Be it on or off the field, West Indies stars are known to stun the fans with their peculiar nature. 24-year-old Nicholas Pooran is one such product of the young West Indies brigade who never shies away from sweeping. The 24-year-old has already plied his trade across the globe in various T20 leagues and in 127 T20 matches, he has amassed 2381 runs including 12 half-centuries.

The wicketkeeper-batsman is often spotted relying on his ability to play the sweep shot. In any format of the game, Pooran is capable of moulding his knock according to the situation and incorporating sweeps in his batting exploits has certainly helped the youngster to shine at the international level.

Though his experience is limited, he is seen as one of the bright prospects that the Men in Maroon possess. In 25 One-day Internationals, the left-hander has amassed 932 runs at an average of almost fifty. Pooran also has a ton and seven half-centuries to his name.

Considering his batting technique and form, Pooran is anticipated to play a vital role in West Indies’ expedition in the upcoming T20 World Cup. He has also been retained by Kings XI Punjab for his services in IPL 2020.

3. Tom Latham

One New Zealand player who has notched up through the ranks in Tom Latham. In the recently-concluded ODI series against India, the New Zealand international flaunted his sweep ability against the spinners. He had also stated that he will keep relying on sweeps to counter the spinning duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.

And it worked very well for the wicketkeeper-batsman as he amassed a half-century in the first match of the ODI series. Having the experience of playing 99 ODIs, Latham has gathered 2696 runs for his national side at an average of 32.87. The left-hander is also touted to play an integral role in New Zealand’s T20 World Cup 2020 campaign.

Be it opening the innings or batting down the order, Latham has the experience of batting at any position for the Kiwis and incorporating sweep into his batting arsenal certainly helps the 27-year-old. In the upcoming years, he is expected to etch his name as a prominent name in New Zealand’s limited-overs as well as Test setup.

2. Ross Taylor

Over the years, Ross Taylor has etched his name as one of the stalwarts of New Zealand cricket. The right-hander, who recently played his 100th Test for the Kiwi side, is known for his sweep forte, especially against the spinner.

Be it any format, Taylor never shies away from experimenting and incorporating sweeps in his game. Due to this ability, he is always considered dangerous against sub-continent teams as he can sweep bowlers from the word go. The middle-order batsman had shown glimpses of his explosive sweeps on the Indian soil too during his exploits in the IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajashtan Royals, Pune Warriors and Delhi Daredevils.

Furthermore, the 36-year-old has a plethora of experience under his belt. In 232 ODIs, he has mustered 8574 runs at an impressive average of almost 50. With the red ball, he has gathered 7238 runs including 19 tons and 33 half-centuries. Considering his batting style and vast experience to his name, Taylor can certainly be considered as one of the best sweepers of the modern era.

1. Ben Stokes

The England all-rounder has an astounding 2019 where he single-handedly led his side to the triumph in the World Cup and the Ashes. His breathtaking knock in the World Cup final as well as the Headingley Test earned him England’s ‘Player of the Year’ award too. One peculiar thing about Stokes’ batting is that he never backs down from experimenting and taking risks while batting.

From slog sweeps to reverse sweeps, the all-rounder never fails the opportunity to leave fans awestruck with his batting exploits. Be it Test cricket or T20I cricket, Stokes is known for his devil-may-care attitude and slogging the ball according to the situation. He had even attempted slog sweeps and reverse sweeps in the Headingley Test due to the need of the situation.

Hence, the all-rounder can definitely be considered a part of the list of best sweepers in the modern era. Despite boasting a meagre IPL record, Stokes is touted to do wonders in IPL 2020 considering his red-hot form. The 28-year-old is slated to don the Rajasthan Royals jersey in the thirteenth edition of the league.