Shaheen Afridi declared ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year

Pakistani pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been declared the Men's Cricketer of the Year by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday.

Mohammad Rizwan, England captain Joe Root and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson were also nominated for the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.

Shaheen Afridi took 78 wickets in 36 internationals at an average of 22.20  with the best bowling figures of 6/51.

The tall Pakistani quick was on fire throughout 2021, knocking some of the best batters over across all three formats of the game.

He especially had a year to remember in Tests and T20Is, reaching his peak during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in UAE where he impressed one and all with his sheer speed and skills.

The Pakistani star’s memorable performance was against India in the first match of the mega tournament when he sent three India players home and set the stage for the team’s historic victory against the arch-rivals.

He would take seven wickets in six matches during the tournament in Pakistan's run to the semi-final. He ruled the shortest format throughout the calendar year, scalping 23 wickets in 21 matches with his death bowling improving by leaps and bounds.

After a slow start to the year in Test cricket in New Zealand, Afridi burst to life during the home series against South Africa. He continued his brilliant form throughout the rest of the year in the away tours of Zimbabwe, West Indies and Bangladesh.

Overall, he claimed 47 wickets in only nine matches at a staggering average of 17.06.

Youngest cricketer

The 21-year-old bowler is also the youngest ever cricketer to get the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.

Pakistani cricketers rule ICC Awards 2021

Pakistani players not only bagged the most ICC awards they were also selected for the teams of the year 2021.

Shaheen Afridi:

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year

Babar Azam:

ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year

Fatima Sana

ICC Emerging Women's Cricketer of the YEar 2021

Mohammad Rizwan:

ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year

ICC Teams of the Year

The ICC Men’s T20I Team of 2021: Jos Butler (ENG), Mohammad Rizwan (PAK, WK), Babar Azam (PAK, C), Aiden Markram (SA), Mitchell Marsh (AUS), David Miller (SA), Wanindu Hasaranga (SL), Tabraiz Shamsi (SA), Josh Hazlewood (AUS), Mustafizur Rahman (BANG) and Shaheen Afridi (PAK).

The ICC Men’s ODI Team of 2021: Paul Stirling (IRE), Janneman Malan (SA), Babar Azam (PAK, C), Fakhar Zaman (PAK), Rassie van der Dussen (SA), Shakib Al-Hasan (BANG), Mushfiqur Rahim (BANG, WK), Wanindu Hasaranga (SL), Mustafizur Rahman (BANG), Simi Singh (IRE) and Dushmantha Chameera (SL)

The ICC Women’s ODI Team of 2021: Lizelle Lee (SA), Alyssa Healy (AUS), Tammy Beaumont (ENG), Mithali Raj (IND), Heather Knight (ENG, C), Marizanne Kapp (SA), Hayley Matthews (WI), Fatima Sana (PAK), Jhulan Goswami (IND), Shabnim Ismail (SA) and Anisa Mohammed (WI).

ICC Men’s Test Team for 2021: Dimuth Karunaratne (SL), Rohit Sharma (India), Marnus Labuschagne (AUS), Joe Root (ENG), Kane Williamson (NZ), Fawad Alam (PAK), Rishabh Pant (IND, WK), Ravichandran Ashwin (IND), Kyle Jamison (NZ), Hasan Ali (PAK) and Shaheen Afridi (PAK).