The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday, December 31, revealed the nominations for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Player of the Year for 2021. The nominees feature two Pakistani players, including wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and pacer Shaheen Afridi, England skipper Joe Root, and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
Mohammad Rizwan has been in his best form this year, accumulating a staggering 1915 runs in only 44 matches at an average of 56.32 with two centuries as well as getting 56 dismissals in his name.
He was an instrumental figure in getting Pakistan to the semis during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, where he ended up as the third-highest run-scorer of the tournament. His most memorable knock came against India when Rizwan smashed 79* in only 55 deliveries laced with six fours and three maximums, helping the side register a historic 10-wicket victory against their arch-rivals.
He scored the very first T20I century of his career while playing against South Africa in Lahore. He followed it up with a brilliant knock of 87 against the West Indies in Karachi.
Rizwan also improved his Test cricket skills, amassing 455 runs at a 45.50 average in nine matches. Above all, he remained consistent throughout the year and appeared in a variety of roles across all formats of the game.
Speaking of the next nominee of the ICC Player of the Year, if there is one player who has managed to grab eyeballs every time he stepped out to bat will be England skipper Joe Root. England has blown cold and cold this year, but most times they have had a rough patch. But even in the situations and matches the whole team has crumbled, Root has always maintain his stance as the team savior.
Root aggregated an impressive 1855 runs in 18 international matches at an average of 58.37 laced with six centuries.
Joe Root added another accolade to his name after registering third-most Test runs in history in a calendar year during the third Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After being dismissed for 28 on day three of the third Test in Melbourne, he finished the year with 1,708 runs at an average of 61.00.
Root’s finest innings of the year was certainly the 218 he scored in Chennai against a world-class Indian spin attack. Root smashed 19 fours and two sixes in his long innings, which lasted 377 deliveries.
Pakistan pacer Shaheeh Afridi turned out to be one of the MVPs of the team and had a fiery 2021 courtesy to his exceptional skills that left even the gurus of the game in awe of his performances. He scalped 78 wickets in 36 internationals at an average of 22.20. His Best bowling figures was 6/51.
He was especially phenomenal during Pakistan’s march to the semi-finals in the T20 World Cup in UAE when he took seven wickets in six matches. Throughout the calendar year, he dominated the shortest format, taking 23 wickets in 21 matches, while establishing himself as a reliable player during death overs.
Although he had a forgettable start in Test cricket this year on his home turf, the speedster picked up form and impressed one and all with his speed bowling in the away series against Zimbabwe, West Indies and Bangladesh. He scalped 47 wickets in only 9 matches in all at a brilliant average of 17.06.
Kane Williamson with his sheer brilliance with his consistency, not just upped his individual records, but also took charge of improving the records of the Kiwis by leaps and bounds. An easy entrant into the nominations of the ICC Player of Year, Williamson amassed 693 runs in 16 internationals at an average of 43.31 with one century.
It was under his commendable leadership that the BlackCaps won the inaugural title of the ICC World Test Championship Final against India in Southampton. The Kiwi skipper scored crucial 49 and 52* runs in their two innings, playing a pivotal role in helping the Kiwis lift the trophy.
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