International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the nominees for ODI cricketer of the year. Indian players fail to find a place in the nominees. However, there are two Asian players on the list.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, South Africa batter Janneman Malan and Ireland opener Paul Stirling are the four nominees for the 50-over format.
Returning to the field after the ban, veteran Bangladesh all-rounder took 17 wickets from nine games including a five-wicket haul. With the bat, he scored 277 runs from nine innings at an average of 39.57 including two half-centuries.
Another Asian player on the list is Azam who played just six ODIs but was phenomenal with the bat scoring 405 runs at an average of 67.50. He scored two centuries and one half-century during this period including his highest ODI score of 158 against England.
South African Malan finished the year as the second-highest ODI run-scorer. He scored 509 runs from eight ODIs at an astonishing average of 84.83 including two centuries and two half-centuries. His best ODI score of unbeaten 177 came against Pakistan.
The last player on the list is Ireland’s Stirling. The veteran opener finished the year as the highest run-scorer. He scored 705 runs from 14 innings at an average of 54.23 including three centuries and two half-centuries.
The reason behind no Indian player making the list can be the lack of ODI cricket in the year. Even on Sri Lankan series, India sent their second-string side led by Shikhar Dhawan. On the other hand, India did not have any nominees in the other white-ball format as well.
England’s Jos Buttler, Australia’s Mitchell Marsh, Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga were the four nominees as none of the Indian players made the list in this format as well. India had a disappointing T20 World Cup 2021 campaign in UAE as they were knocked out of the group stage after comprehensive losses to New Zealand and Pakistan.
