ISLAMABAD: Pakistani cricketers Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi are in the running for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Sir Garfield Sobers Award, voting for which began today, Wednesday.
The Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy is a cricket trophy awarded annually by the ICC to the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year. It is considered to be the most prestigious of the annual ICC Awards and was first awarded in 2004 to Rahul Dravid.
“The voting for Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year is now open!” the ICC said in a tweet featuring the names and images of the four nominees.
Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi, wicketkeeper batter Mohamad Rizwan, English batter Joe Root and New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson are the four nominees for this year’s award.
Mohammad Rizwan
Joe Root
Ravichandran Ashwin
Kane WilliamsonThe voting for Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year is now open!
Who's your pick? pic.twitter.com/NuPU7Fm9TG
— ICC (@ICC) January 5, 2022
Rizwan made the list after enjoying a phenomenal year in which he scored an impressive 1,915 runs from 44 internationals at an average of 56.32, with two centuries and 56 dismissals.
The wicketkeeper-batter has emerged as one of the most promising prospects for Pakistan, forming formidable partnerships with opening batter and skipper Babar Azam to become one half of the world’s most dangerous pair of opening batters.
Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi is another cricketer who has helped propel Pakistan to many a victory this year.
Afridi managed to take an impressive 78 wickets from 36 internationals at an average of 22.20. His opening spell against India at the ICC T20 World Cup in Dubai helped Pakistan put the Men in Blue on the backfoot and ultimately, score a thumping 10-wicket victory over their arch rivals.
Fans can go to the ICC’s website and vote for their favourite cricketer.