Few players were sacked, banned; few others retired in the wake of controversies while some face the adversities sportingly.
Relive the year 2016 in cricket through our interactive timeline.
Right-handed batsmen scored 19,518 runs in 2016, the highest in the history of T20Is, as is the 7,379 for left-handed batsmen.
It is bowlers, who win you Tests and 2016 witnessed enough action. Amidst the sea of brilliant performances in this year, we pick the top 10 bowling spells from 2016.
The biggest comeback story of the year 2016 has to be of that young Pakistani bowler, who defied all the odds, served a five-year ban, spent time behind bars locked up, but still decided to make a life and career out of cricket.
Steven Smith, with 1,154 runs at 50.17, was the only captain to go past the 1,000-run mark.
The year 2016 witnessed several great performances from bowlers who produced impactful performances that resulted in favourable outcomes for their sides.
New Zealand appears to be in a dilemma whether to follow Brendon McCullum’s path or create their own space. With ICC Champions Trophy 2017 in the pipeline, Kane Williamson and co. need to find answers for desirable results.
There are some, like UAE and Scotland, who have been around for ages, but have never really threatened to break through to the top echelon. Hong Kong, Oman, and PNG, on the other hand, keep showing up and surprising people.
Right-handed batsmen scored 32,055 runs in 2016, the third-highest for any calendar year.