Smriti Mandhana, Shaheen Afridi named ICC Cricketers of the Year 2021

Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi & India’s Smriti Mandhana bagged top honours in ICC Awards. Shaheen Afridi has been named ICC men’s Cricketer of the Year 2021 while Smriti Mandhana has been awarded ICC Women’s cricketer of the Year 2021.

Shaheen Afridi has been awarded Cricketer of the Year 2021

Shaheen Afridi roosted 2021 by scalping 78 wickets in 36 matches at an average of 22.20 by returning with the best figures of 6/51. Shaheen was in his career-best from throughout 2021 dismissing some big guns across all formats. He rose to glory after producing spell bounding performances in tests & T20Is. His career reached heights of success during ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE where he impressed everyone by scalping some quick wickets. He was spearheading Pakistan’s pace attack during the mega event & has returned with seven wickets in six matches during the tournament in Pakistan’s run to the semi-finals.

 

He ruled the T20I format by scalping 23 wickets in 21 matches with his death bowling improving in leaps & bounds. After having a slow start to test series he gained back acceleration by showing his brilliant form in the home series against South Africa. Not only in the home series he shone brightly in the rest of the away tours of Zimbabwe, West Indies & Bangladesh. Overall Afridi claimed 47 wickets in nine matches at a staggering average of 17.06.

 

Smriti Mandhana has been named ICC Women’s cricketer of the Year 2021

India’s opener batter Smriti Mandhana has been awarded the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2021. In the limited-overs series against South Africa where India won just two of the eight matches at home series, Mandhana played a crucial role in both of their wins. She scored an unbeaten 80 as India chased down 158 in the second ODI that helped her side to level the ODI series & scored an unbeaten 48 in India’s final T20I win.

 

Mandhana continued her sparkling form in India’s bilateral series against England where she scored 78 runs in the first innings of the one-off test that ended in a draw. She played a crucial knock of 49 in India’s only win in the ODI series. Her 15 ball 29 runs knock was wasted as India fell short of target on both the matches & lost the series by 2-1.

 

Smriti Mandhana was in fine form throughout their series against Australia starting with the ODI series where she scored 86 in the second ODI. She blasted a century in her maiden test & was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ award for that knock. Her maiden century came during India’s first-ever pink ball test which made the occasion more blissful for Mandhana. She got dismissed at 127 & helped India to end the match in a draw. For her match-saving, 129 runs knock Mandhana received “the player of the Match” award.