Babar Azam named captain of ICC ODI Team of the Year 2021

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Thursday announced the ODI Team of the Year 2021, naming Pakistani skipper Babar Azam as the captain.

Left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman has also been included in the team but no Indian player was able to make the cut.

The 11-member squad also includes Paul Stirling and Simi Singh of Ireland, Janneman Malan and Rassie van der Dussen of South Africa, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk) and Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera of Sri Lanka.

The Pakistani skipper was also declared as the best T20 captain of the year 2021 by the ICC.

A look at Babar, Fakhar's performance in 2021:

Babar Azam

Despite having played only 6 matches in 2021, Babar still managed to score 405 runs at an average of 67.50 with two centuries.

The talismanic Pakistan skipper made vital contributions in tough away tours of South Africa and England, ending up with Player of the Match awards in both their victories in the former.

He also scored a memorable ton in Birmingham in conditions that assisted the seamers.

Fakhar Zaman

Zaman continued his stellar run in Pakistan's ODI outfit in the year 2021. Playing 6 matches, he aggregated 365 runs at an average of 60.83 with two centuries.

One of the centuries came against South Africa, in a knock which will be remembered for ages. He scored 193, almost taking Pakistan home in their chase of 342 in Johannesburg.

Pakistan's star players, wicket keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and bowling sensation Shaheen Shah Afridi, were also included in the T20I Team of the Year, but no Indian player was included in the squad.