The year 2021 was a memorable year for Pakistan cricket. Pakistan's outstanding performance continued throughout the year. They became the first team ever to win 20 T20Is in a single year. Pakistan team played seven bilateral T20 series, and won six - against South Africa, Zimbabwe, West Indies and Bangladesh - during 2021.

It was also a good year in Tests as Pakistan played nine matches in five series. They won seven and lost 2. They lost to New Zealand 0-2, won against South Africa 2-0, Zimbabwe 2-0 and Bangladesh 2-0. The Test series in the West Indies ended in a 1-1 draw.

Pakistani cricketers dominated the international circuit last year, especially skipper Babar Azam, wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi. They were the main contributors to the team's successes which was recognized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as it awarded accolades to Babar, Rizwan and Afridi in different categories.

It was Pakistan's best-ever performance since ICC launched the teams of the year lists in 2004. Under the leadership of Babar Azam, Pakistan have transformed into a winning unit. For their exceptional performances Pakistani players have bagged the most number of ICC awards and many players were selected for the ICC Teams of the Year.

Eight Pakistani cricketers were selected in all three formats of the ICC teams of the year - 3 in Tests, two in ODIs and 3 in T20Is. Meanwhile, only 3 Indians made it to the Test team only. This is India's worst performance in the annual lists since 2015.

Babar Azam has won the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year award. He played only six ODIs in 2021, but he made vital contributions in the two series that Pakistan played last year.

Mohammad Rizwan was named as ICC men's T20I Cricketer of the Year. He also won the PCB's Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year award last year. Shaheen Shah Afridi was awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy and was recognised as the ICC men's cricketer of the year in 2021. At 21, he is the youngest cricketer to win the coveted award. He is also the first Pakistani player to achieve the feat. Fatima Sana also made history when she won ICC Women's Emerging Cricketer of the Year award. The 20-year-old Sana bagged 24 wickets at an average of 23.95 and accumulated 165 runs at 16.50 in 16 international matches during 2021.

Under Babar Pakistan registered 20 T20I victories, most by any team in the history of the format. Overall, Babar featured in just six ODIs in 2021, finishing with 405 runs at an average of 67.50.

Babar is the only player who is included in ICC Top 10 ranking in all the three formats that showed his consistency. By the end of last year, Babar secured the top position not only in T20Is but also in ODI format too. Not only in white ball format, Babar showed his leadership qualities in Test cricket by winning 7 of the 9 matches in 2021. He currently holds the best win percentage as a Pakistan captain in Test cricket history.

Babar finished as the number one batsman in both Twenty20I and One-day Internationals. He Babar became the first player to score 50 or more runs 20 times in T20 format in a calendar year.

Babar and Mohammad Rizwan dominated in the shortest format of the game last year.Both played 29 T20I matches which remain the joint-highest. Rizwan scored 1,326 runs inIT20 internationals while Babar was behind him with 939 runs.

A record (six) century partnerships by Babar and Rizwan gave Pakistan some great starts at the top of the batting order. They shared highest number of opening partnership in the history of T20 World Cup (152) against arch-rival India.

It is important to remember that out of their six hundred runs partnerships, three came while chasing the target.

Their six century partnerships broke the record of India's Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul's five century partnerships record.

In 2021, Rizwan also became the first batsman to reach the 1000-run mark in a calendar year in T20Is, and the 2000-run mark in T20s.

Rizwan scored 1326 runs in 29 T20Is at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89. He scored 12 half-centuries during the year. He also made 22 dismissals behind the stumps in the format.

On the bowling side, pacer Shaheen Afridi was the most successful bowler for Pakistan in Test cricket last year. He was at his best during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup last year where he impressed with his sheer speed and movement of the ball.

He ruled the shortest format throughout the calendar year, scalping 23 wickets in 21 matches with his death bowling improving by leaps and bounds.

He took 47 wickets in 9 Tests, averaging 17.06. Overall Afridi claimed 78 wickets in 36 matches at an average of 22.20 during 2021.

khurrams87@yahoo.com