DUBAI: Arshdeep Singh who starred in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumph joins Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Australia’s Travis Head as nominees for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year, according to the ICC.
Arshdeep Singh has stepped up as India’s primary pacer in the T20I format, especially with Jasprit Bumrah being selectively picked for T20Is due to his commitments in Tests and ODIs. Arshdeep’s prowess is evident from his impressive tally of 36 wickets over the years, the second-best by an Indian player in Men’s T20Is, just behind Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 37 wickets in 2022.
Sikandar Raza continues to shine for Zimbabwe, making it to the prestigious shortlist for the third consecutive year. The all-rounder turned captain has been pivotal in Zimbabwe’s cricketing successes, especially in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup sub-regional Africa Qualifier Group B, where he smashed 199 runs and took 10 wickets. Despite Zimbabwe’s T20I side still being a work in progress, Raza’s leadership has led to victories over teams like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan this year.
Babar Azam had a mixed year but remained Pakistan’s top T20I run-scorer. With six fifties and close to a hundred boundaries, Babar was Pakistan’s mainstay, and his strike rate improved significantly, clocking 133.21 runs per 100 deliveries. Babar is on the brink of breaking Rohit Sharma’s record as the highest run-getter in T20I cricket, just eight runs shy of Rohit’s mark of 4231 runs.
Travis Head showcased his range as a T20I batter for Australia in 2024, scoring 539 runs at a strike rate of 178.47. He impressed with explosive cameos against New Zealand as an opener and carried that form into the T20 World Cup 2024. Head was the third-highest run-getter in the tournament with 255 runs, striking at 158.38. His performance was instrumental in many of Australia’s successes, but his standout knock came against England in Southampton.
Agencies