Pakistan wicketkeeper and batsman Mohammad Rizwan has been named the ICC Men’s T20I Cricket of the Year, after a stellar year in the shortest format of the game.
The prolific right-hander, Rizwan, scored the most runs, 1326, in T20I cricket, in 2021, at a stunning average of 73.66 and strike-rate of 134.89. His runs tally includes 12 fifties, most by any player, and a hundred. He also stands at the top of the pile in terms of sixes hit in 2021, with 42 against his name.
“Sheer Consistency, indomitable spirit and some breathtaking knocks — the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year enjoyed a memorable run in 2021,” the game’s governing body said in a press release while praising Rizwan.
Rizwan was also an integral part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign, with 281 runs under his belt, and finished the event as the third highest run-scorer.
Rizwan’s most memorable performance came against India when he smacked unbeaten 79 in only 55 deliveries, hitting six fours and three sixes, to help Pakistan register their first-ever victory in World Cup matches over their arch-rivals.