After 44 matches in the qualifying and Super 12 rounds, the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup has finally reached its business end with Pakistan set to take on England in the final at MCG on Sunday (November 13).
During the marquee event, a number of stellar performances were witnessed from players and teams alike.
The International Cricket Council on Friday (November 11) unveiled a list of 9 players shortlisted for the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award.
The list features India’s Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav, Pakistan’s Shadab Khan and Shaheen Afridi, England’s Sam Curran, Jos Buttler and Alex Hales, Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga.
While it remains to be seen who receive the top prize, the captains of both teams competing in the final – Jos Buttler and Babar Azam – picked their 'Player of the Tournament' for the ongoing T20 World Cup.
According to Buttler, Suryakumar Yadav deserves the honour for playing with "extreme freedom."
"I think Suryakumar Yadav. I think Suryakumar Yadav for me has been someone who has played with extreme freedom. He has been incredibly eye-catching to watch in such a star-studded line-up. To stand out the way he has is amazing," ICC quoted Buttler as saying.
Yadav was among the most impactful batter in the tournament. The dashing right-hander amassed 239 runs in six matches at a sensational strike rate of 189.68. He also slammed three half-centuries, which came against Netherlands, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Buttler also said that his teammates, Sam Curran and Alex Hales, also have a chance to win the award.
"Of course, there is a couple of our guys on that sheet as well - Sam Curran and Alex Hales. If they put in a great performance in the final, they can be the Player of the Tournament for me," he added.
On the other hand, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam named his team’s all-rounder Shadab Khan for the award.
"I think it should be Shadab Khan for the way he is playing. While his bowling has been outstanding, his batting also improved quite a bit. His dominating performances in the last three games along with his outstanding fielding makes him a prime contender for the Player of the Tournament," said Babar.
Shadab has picked 10 wickets in six matches so far, with best figures of 3/22 and a miserly economy of 6.59. Moreover, he has scored 78 runs in the tournament, including a fifty in a crucial match against South Africa.
(With ICC inputs)
