ICC Cricketer of The Year 2021 Nominees List: Root, Rizwan, Afridi, Williamson for Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy

The
list
has
some
familiar
names
like
Joe
Root,
Mohammad
Rizwan,
Shaheen
Shah
Afridi
and
Kane
Williamson.
Here’s
a
quick
lowdown
of
the
ICC
nominations.

Joe
Root
–
England

1855
runs
in
18
international
matches
at
an
average
of
58.37
with
6
centuries
as
England
captain
Root
dominated
the
year
gone
by.

What
he
did
in
2021

England’s
Test
skipper
Root
has
enjoyed
a
year
that
will
go
down
in
the
pages
of
the
history
books.
Firmly
establishing
himself
as
the
spine
of
England’s
batting
in
Test
cricket,
Root
has
often
been
the
lone
man
standing
for
their
cause.
His
year
began
with
a
marathon
knock
in
228
against
Sri
Lanka
in
Galle
and
he
has
only
gone
from
strength
to
strength.

He
would
follow
up
his
exploits
against
Sri
Lanka
with
a
memorable
knock
in
Chennai,
a
brilliant
218
against
India.
And
England
won
that
Test
to
shock
India.

He
would
continue
his
sublime
form
against
India
in
the
return
leg
of
the
Test
series
at
home,
aggregating
564
runs
in
four
matches
with
three
centuries
to
his
name.

Root’s
performance
also
helped
him
reach
the
summit
of
the
ICC
Test
Player
Rankings
for
batting,
where
he
would
be
eventually
displaced
by
Marnus
Labuschagne.

Despite
failing
to
convert
his
starts
into
big
scores,
Root
continued
being
England’s
best
batter
against
Australia
in
the
first
three
Ashes
Tests.

Shaheen
Afridi
–
Pakistan

78
wickets
in
36
internationals
at
an
average
of
22.20.
Best
bowling
figures
of
6/51

What
he
did
in
2021

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

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

He
would
scalp
7
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
scalped
47
wickets
in
only
9
matches
at
a
staggering
average
of
17.06.

Swing,
seam,
sheer
pace
and
sizzling
yorkers
–
Shaheen
Shah
Afridi
gave
an
exhibition
of
it
all
in
the
year
2021.

Kane
Williamson
–
New
Zealand

693
runs
in
16
internationals
at
an
average
of
43.31
with
one
century

What
he
did
in
2021

Kane
Williamson’s
2021
simply
cannot
only
be
judged
on
the
basis
of
the
runs
he
scored.
It
was
also
his
influential
leadership
that
helped
the
Blackcaps
scale
unchartered
heights
during
the
year.
None
more
so
important
than
the
ICC
World
Test
Championship
Final
against
India
in
Southampton.

Williamson
played
a
crucial
role
in
that
game
with
the
bat
as
well,
scoring
a
vital
49
in
the
first
innings
against
a
quality
bowling
unit
in
conditions
assisting
the
seamers.
He
followed
it
up
with
a
crucial
52*
in
the
run
chase
of
139,
taking
his
side
home
before
lifting
the
mace.

His
leadership
would
again
be
vital
during
the
T20
World
Cup
in
UAE
and
Oman,
with
his
tactical
nous
helping
New
Zealand
reach
the
final.

After
a
relatively
quiet
tournament
with
the
bat
in
accordance
to
his
own
high
standards,
Williamson
played
a
knock
of
supreme
ability
as
New
Zealand
batted
first
against
Australia
in
Dubai.
Unfortunately,
his
43-ball
85
could
not
propel
his
side
to
a
victory.

Mohammad
Rizwan
–
Pakistan

1915
runs
in
44
internationals
at
an
average
of
56.32
with
2
centuries.
56
dismissals.

What
he
did
in
2021

The
Pakistan
wicketkeeper-batter
ruled
the
roost
in
2021
when
it
came
to
the
shortest
format
of
the
game.
Aggregating
a
staggering
1326
runs
in
only
29
matches,
Rizwan
struck
at
an
average
of
73.66
and
a
strike-rate
of
134.89.

Apart
from
his
exploits
with
the
bat,
he
was
as
solid
as
ever
behind
the
stumps,
playing
a
key
role
in
Pakistan’s
run
to
the
semis
during
the
T20
World
Cup.
Rizwan
also
upped
his
game
in
Test
cricket,
scoring
455
runs
in
9
matches
at
an
average
of
45.50.

Most
importantly
though,
he
was
consistent
throughout
the
year
and
played
a
variety
of
roles
across
all
formats
–
be
it
getting
Pakistan
off
to
flying
starts
in
the
T20Is
or
stabilizing
things
with
the
lower
order
in
Test
cricket.

With
some
tough
assignments
coming
up
in
2022,
both
home
and
away,
along
with
a
T20
World
Cup,
Pakistan
will
again
heavily
bank
upon
the
ever-dependable
Rizwan
to
leave
a
mark.

(Content
courtesy:
ICC)