The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday, December 30, 2021, announced the four nominees for the Men's ODI player of the year award. This comes after the world cricket body had announced the nominees for the Men's T20I player of the year award on Wednesday.
The first nominee is Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan who scored 277 runs in nine matches at an average of 39.57 with two fifties and picked 17 wickets at an average of 17.52. He had made his return from his two-year ban (suspended for one year) and earned a Player of the Series against West Indies in January 2021.
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Then his best came at home against Zimbabwe, making 145 runs and picking 8 wickets in three ODIs.
The next nominee is Pakistani captain Babar Azam, who made 405 runs in six ODIs at an average of 67.50 with two centuries. He was the second-highest run-scorer with 228 runs and was the Player of the Match in both of Pakistan's wins in the 2-1 series victory against South Africa.
He also scored a century in the Birmingham ODI against England going on to make his highest ODI score of 158, though England won the match and clean-swept Pakistan 3-0 in the three-match series.
South Africa’s Janneman Malan is the third nominee who scored 509 runs in eight matches at an average of 84.83 with two centuries and two half-centuries. He won the player of the series award against Ireland, scoring 261 runs in two matches. He then scored 177 in the next match to propel Proteas to 346/4.
He finished the year 2021 with second-most runs in ODIs.
Ireland’s Paul Stirling finished 2021 with the most runs- 705 runs in 14 matches at an average of 79.66 with three centuries and two half-centuries. And for his stupendous performances, was nominated for the ICC ODI player of the year for 2021.
He scored 285 runs against Afghanistan, scoring two tons in three matches. He then help Ireland beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the ODI series.
The winners of the awards will be announced in January 2022.
(ICC inputs)
