Pakistan had a record-breaking year in T20I cricket in 2021. The Green Shirts became the first team in international cricket to register 20 wins in T20Is in a calendar year and had some remarkable performances throughout the year.
There were numerous star performers for Pakistan in the shortest format of the game and four of them have been nominated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the T20I cricketer of the year award.
Let’s have a look at the nominees:
Haris Rauf
The right-arm pacer was outstanding for Pakistan in the shortest format of the game. The fiery pacer finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker for the Men in Green in T20Is in 2021 as he picked up 25 wickets at an average of 25.48 in 23 matches.
Mohammad Rizwan
The wicket-keeper batter had a remarkable year and broke major batting records in 2021. He became the first player to score over 2,000 runs in T20 cricket and also became the first player to cross 1,000 runs in a year in T20I cricket. Rizwan scored 1,326 runs at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89 in 26 innings. He also scored 12 half-centuries and 1 century.
Shadab Khan
The young all-rounder hit peak form in the latter part of the year and was quite magnificent with his leg spin. He picked up 20 wickets at an average of 19.60 and an economy rate of 6.64 in 18 matches in 2021. He also scored 92 runs at a strike rate of 170.37 in 7 innings.
Shaheen Afridi
The left-arm pacer was exceptional in the shortest format of the game as well. He picked up 23 wickets at an average of 26.04 and an economy rate of 7.86 in 21 matches he played in 2021. His devastating opening spells were the highlight of Pakistan’s T20I campaign in the year.
What do you think? Who should be Pakistan’s T20I cricketer of the year?
