DUBAI – The International Cricket Council (ICC) Wednesday revealed thenominations for the Men’s T20I Player of the Year award, with Pakistan’sstar cricketer Mohammad Rizwan among the nominees.
“Two brilliant wicketkeeper-batters and two all-rounders constitute ournominees for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20I Player of the Year awards,” said thecouncil in a statement.
The ICC Awards 2021 will recognise the outstanding achievements and featsin cricket over the past year.
The other nominees include for the award. England’s Jos Buttler, SriLanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Australia’s Mitchell Marsh.
Mohammad Rizwan, who proved his mettle in the outgoing year by displayingimpressive performance, made 1326 runs in 29 matches at an average of 73.66with one century; 24 dismissals.
“The Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter ruled the roost in 2021 when it came tothe shortest format of the game. Aggregating a staggering 1326 runs in only29 matches, Rizwan struck at an average of 73.66 and a strike-rate of134.89. Apart from his exploits with the bat, he was as solid as everbehind the stumps, playing a key role in Pakistan’s run to the semis duringthe ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, where he ended up as the third-highestrun-scorer,” ICC said about Rizwan.
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He also scored the maiden T20I century of his career against South Africain Lahore early in the year and ended it continuing his form with abrilliant knock of 87 against West Indies in Karachi. With another T20World Cup coming up next year, Pakistan will hope that Rizwan continues inthe same vein.
Though a chase of 152 looked easy on paper, Pakistan had the weight ofhistory against them in the T20 World Cup encounter against India. With thelikes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami in opposition attack, the taskwas made all the more complicated. But as was almost always the case in2021, Rizwan along with his skipper Babar Azam ensured that a famousvictory would be sealed that would be celebrated in the history of Pakistancricket for years to come.
Rizwan smacked 79* in only 55 deliveries, hitting six fours and threesixes. The ease with which he countered the Indian bowling attack was athing of sheer beauty. He ensured that there were no hiccups in therun-chase as Pakistan galloped towards the target without losing a singlewicket to seal a 10-wicket victory.
