ICC has recently revealed its four-nominee shortlist for Men’s T20I Cricketer Of The Year Award and only one Indian has made the cut. Arshdeep Singh, who played a key role in India’s victory at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, has been nominated for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award. Others in the list include Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, Pakistan’s Babar Azam, and Australia’s Travis Head, according to the ICC.
Here’s all you need to know about the nominees:
Arshdeep Singh: With Jasprit Bumrah’s commitments towards Tests and ODIs, Arshdeep Singh has stepped up as India’s primary pacer in the T20I format. Arshdeep’s exceptional skill is reflected in his remarkable record of 36 wickets in Men’s T20Is, making him the second-highest wicket-taker for India in a calendar year, just behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 37 wickets in 2022. However, Arshdeep’s numbers came from just 18 games compared to Kumar’s 32.
In 2022, he was the third-best with 33 scalps. The seamer has filled the much-needed role of a left-arm pacer in the shortest format for Team India, delivering sensational performances
One of Arshdeep’s memorable performances came in the Men’s T20 World Cup final. While Bumrah is often remembered for his game-turning over, India’s triumph would have been impossible without Arshdeep’s stellar support.
Sikandar Raza: The all-rounder continues to shine for Zimbabwe, making it to the prestigious shortlist for the third consecutive year. Raza turned captain has been pivotal in Zimbabwe’s cricketing successes, especially in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup sub-regional Africa Qualifier Group B, where he smashed 199 runs and took 10 wickets. Despite Zimbabwe’s T20I side still being a work in progress, Raza‘s leadership has led to victories over teams like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan this year. His standout moment was against India, where his watchful 17 helped Zimbabwe reach 115/9 on a tricky track.
Babar Azam: The batsman had a mixed year but remained Pakistan’s top T20I run-scorer. With six fifties and close to a hundred boundaries, Babar was Pakistan’s mainstay, and his strike rate improved significantly, clocking 133.21 runs per 100 deliveries. Babar is on the brink of breaking Rohit Sharma’s record as the highest run-getter in T20I cricket, just eight runs shy of Rohit’s mark of 4231 runs. A memorable performance came during Pakistan’s preparatory tour of Ireland before the T20 World Cup.
Travis Head: The Australian batter showcased his range as a T20I batter in 2024, scoring 539 runs at a strike rate of 178.47. He impressed with explosive cameos against New Zealand as an opener and carried that form into the T20 World Cup 2024. Head was the third-highest run-getter in the tournament with 255 runs, striking at 158.38. His performance was instrumental in many of Australia’s successes, but his standout knock came against England in Southampton. Opening with Matthew Short, Head blitzed his way to 59 off 23 balls by the end of the Powerplay, hitting 12 boundaries, including four sixes.
#Indian #ICC #Mens #T20I #Cricketer #Year #nomination #Jaspreet #Bumrah
