DUBAI: There was no Indian in the Men’s T20I team of the Year for 2021 announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, January 19. Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been named as the skipper of the curated team 3 players from the Pakistan team that reached the semi-final of the T20 World Cup last year.
Babar Azam along with Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi led the show as Pakistan players dominated the ICC T20I Men’s Team of the Year for 2021. Rizwan has been picked as the opener after the Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter had a dream run in 2021, hitting a record-breaking tally of 1326 runs in T20Is in 29 matches. Babar was a distant second on the run-scorers list in 2021 with 939 runs.
India opener Rohit Sharma who hit 424 runs in 2021 was not picked as Jos Buttler was preferred over the newly-appointed India T20I captain for the opener’s role.
South Africa’s Aiden Markram finds a spot at No. 4 while Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who shone in the T20 World Cup, gets picked as the all-rounder.
South Africa have 2 more players in David Miller and World No. 1 T20I spinner Tabraiz Shamsi in the Team of the Year while Sri Lanka’s Wanidu Hasaranga also finds a place.
Shaheen along with Mustafizur Rahman and Josh Hazlewood will take care of the pace-bowling unit. Hazlewood was Australia’s star at the T20 World Cup while Shaheen was impressive throughout the calendar year.
