Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam picked in multiple categories as PCB announces nominees for 2021 awards

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday (January 4) unveiled the list of nominees for the PCB awards 2021. The year gone by was pretty fruitful for Pakistan as the Babar Azam-led side enjoyed a sensational run across formats. While there were some significant disappointments, the Men in Green were impressive overall. As 2021 has come to an end, the national board will award its players for their heroics over the 22 yards.

Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has been shortlisted in five categories and it won’t be a surprise if he bags multiple awards. After all, he has bagged a total of 78 wickets across formats this year. He even bowled a match-winning spell against India which took Pakistan to a historic win over their arch-rivals in the T20 World Cup 2021.

Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan look set to bag multiple awards

Pacer Hasan Ali and Mohammad Rizwan were also on a roll this year and have been shortlisted in three categories apiece. Skipper Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, and Haris Rauf have been shortlisted in two categories each. There were also several young guns, who burst onto the scenes. They have been shortlisted under the Emerging Cricketer of the Year category.

Players born on or after August 1 1998 or have made international debuts in this calendar year or have played in a minimum of 15 matches in the Cricket Association events and PSL in 2021 are eligible. Arshad Iqbal, Azam Khan, Mohammad Wasim Junior and Shahnawaz Dahani have been shortlisted.

Meanwhile, the winners will be announced in a virtual digital show, which will be live-streamed on the PCB YouTube and Facebook Channels on January 6 2022.

Domestic Cricketer of the Year

• Asif Afridi (59 wickets in Pakistan Cup, National T20 and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy)
• Iftikhar Ahmed (1,456 runs in Pakistan Cup, National T20 and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy)
• Mohammad Huraira (986 runs in his debut Quaid-e-Azam Trophy)
• Sahibzada Farhan (1869 runs in Pakistan Cup, National T20 and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy)
• Tayyab Tahir (1,670 runs in Pakistan Cup, National T20 and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy

Emerging Cricketer of the Year 

• Arshad Iqbal
• Azam Khan
• Mohammad Wasim Jnr
• Shahnawaz Dahani

Women’s Cricketer of the Year

• Aliya Riaz (11 ODIs, 382 runs; 6 T20Is, 94 runs; 364 runs in Pakistan Women’s Cup)
• Anam Amin (9 ODIs, 15 wickets; 6 T20Is, 7 wickets)
• Fatima Sana (13 ODIs, 20 wickets; 3 T20Is, 4 wickets; 6 wickets in Pakistan Women’s Cup)
• Nida Dar (10 ODIs, 363 runs and 6 wickets; 6 T20Is, 95 runs and 7 wickets; 146 runs and 14 wickets in Pakistan Women’s Cup)

Impactful performance of the year

• Fawad Alam (109 v SA, 1^st Test)
• Hasan Ali (10-114 v SA, 2^nd Test)
• M Rizwan (79* v Ind, T20 World Cup)
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-31 v Ind, T20 World Cup)

T20I Cricketer of the Year

• Haris Rauf (23 T20Is, 25 wickets)
• M Rizwan (29 T20Is, 1,326 runs)
• Shadab Khan (18 T20Is, 20 wickets, Eco. 6.64)
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (21 T20Is, 23 wickets. Eco. 7.86)

ODI Cricketer of the Year

• Babar Azam (6 ODIs, 405 runs)
• Fakhar Zaman (6 ODIs, 365 runs)
• Haris Rauf (6 ODIs, 13 wickets)
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (6 ODIs, 8 wickets)

Test Cricketer of the Year

• Abid Ali (9 Tests, 695 runs)
• Fawad Alam (9 Tests, 571 runs)
• Hasan Ali (9 Tests, 41 wickets)
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (9 tests, 47 wickets)

Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year

• Babar Azam (8 Tests, 416 runs; 6 ODIs, 405 runs; 29 T20Is, 939 runs)
• Hasan Ali (8 tests, 41 wickets; 4 ODIs, 7 wickets; 18 T20Is, 25 wickets)
• M Rizwan (9 Tests, 455 runs; 6 ODIs, 134 runs; 29 T20Is, 1,326 runs; total dismissal 56)
• Shaheen Shah Afridi (9 Tests, 47 wickets; 6 ODIs, 8 wickets; 21 T20Is, 23 wickets)