Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Afridi are among the four players nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Player of the Year award along with England’s Joe Root and New Zealand's Kane Williamson.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the nominees today as part of the award series for the outgoing year.

It is pertinent to mention that Shaheen Afridi is the only pacer among the cricketers shortlisted for the coveted award.

The nominees

Mohammad Rizwan, the highest T20 scorer in 2021, has been selected for his consistent performance throughout the year.

The star Pakistani batter scored 1,915 runs in 44 internationals at an average of 56.32 with two centuries in the outgoing year while he dismissed 56 players behind the wicket.

Rizwan’s match-winning innings against arch-rivals India is considered his memorable performance in which he smacked 79* in only 55 deliveries, hitting 6 fours and 3 sixes. He, along with skipper Babar Azam chased the target of 152 without losing a wicket.

Shaheen Afridi is another Pakistani cricketer named for the Player of the Year award. The star pacer took 78 wickets from 36 internationals at an average of 22.20 in 2021 with the best bowling figures of 6/51. 

Afridi’s fiery spell against India in the T20 World Cup 2021 is one the most memorable ones in T20 cricket.

England’s skipper Joe Root has been selected for the award for his performance in the longest format of the game. The right-handed batter scored 1,708 Test runs in 2021.

He scored 1,855 runs in 18 international matches at an average of 58.37 with six centuries.

Root's best knock this year has undoubtedly been the 218 in the sweltering heat of Chennai against an Indian spin attack of the highest calibre.

New Zealand captain Kane William, who scored 693 runs in 16 internationals at an average of 43.31, has also been selected for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.