South Africa’s Official Marais Erasmus was named the ICC Umpire of the Year 2021. Erasmus was doing the umpiring duties in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand. Along with the 2021 Umpire of the Year award he has also won Dave Shepherd Trophies in 2016 & 2017.
Marais is the only third Sout African Umpire to stand in 100 ODIs
Umpire Erasmus is considered one of the best umpires in the world. He has performed umpiring duties in 20 International matches across all three formats in 2021. Erasmus is the only third South African Umpire after Rudi Koertzen and David Orchard to stand in 100 ODIs.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan was named as ICC men’s T20I cricketer of the year 2021 while England’s Tammy Beaumont was named as ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the year 2021. The wicket-keeper batsman has ruled 2021 when it came to the T20I format of cricket.
Aggregating a massive 1326 runs in 29 matches, Mohammed Rizwan struck at an average of 73.66 & a strike rate of 134.89. Apart from his exploits with the bat, he was intact behind the stumps, playing a key role in Pakistan’s run to the semi-finals during the T20 World Cup 2021, where he ended up as the third-highest run-scorer.
Rizwan registered his maiden T20I century against South Africa early in 2021 & continued his blistering form with a smashing knock of 87 against West Indies in Karachi. His most memorable performance came in the T20 World Cup 2021 opener clash against India where he hit an unbeaten 79 in 55 balls in an innings embellished with six fours & three sixes. The way Rizwan countered India’s bowling attack is commendable.
Beaumont – The ICC T20I Women’s cricketer of the Year Award 2021
Meanwhile, England’s Tammy Beaumont was named the ICC T20I Women’s cricketer of the Year Award 2021. She was England’s highest run-scorer in the year in T20Is & the third-highest overall in the World Cricket. In a series against New Zealand away from home, Tammy was the top scorer for England & was awarded as the Player of the Series for scoring 102 runs in three matches.
Her 53 ball 63 in the second match put England in a winning position after they lost wickets in the Powerplay.
She continued her scintillating form in series against India by scoring a fifty though it went in vain after England suffered a lower-order collapse. Beaumont continued to deliver stunning performances against New Zealand when they visited England for a limited-overs tour. She once again finished as the highest run-getter in the series with 113, which included a stunning 97 in the opening game of the series.