PCB Awards 2020 winners to be announced today

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday announced the nominations for the PCB Awards 2020, the results of which will be announced on the PCB digital platforms on Friday (today).

The shortlists for 12 categories, including 10 individual categories, have been finalised by an independent panel comprising highly respected and distinguished cricket personalities. In short-listing the nominees, the independent jury did not limit itself to just player performances, but also took into account various other factors, such as the opponent, impact, value and contribution of the players in the matches and/or during the period under consideration.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam, T20I specialist Mohammad Hafeez and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi have been short-listed in three categories each, while Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah and Shan Masood have been nominated in two categories each.

Both Babar and Shaheen feature in the White-Ball Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories, while Hafeez has been short-listed in the Individual Performance of the Year, White-Ball Cricketer of the Year and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories.

Haris Rauf has made his way to the Men’s Emerging International Cricketer and White-Ball Cricketer of the Year categories and Rizwan has been included in the Test and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories. Naseem is contending for the Men’s Emerging International and Individual Performance of the Year categories, while Shan competes for the Individual Performance and Test Cricketer of the Year categories.

Apart from Hafeez (86 not out, 52b, 4x4, 6x6 v England 3rd T20I), Naseem (four for 26, including a hat-trick, v Bangladesh, only Test), Shan (156 v England, 1st Test) and Fawad Alam have been short-listed as well. Fawad has been included for his 102 in the first Test against New Zealand which ended in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.

The four nominees for the Domestic Cricketer of the Year are Hasan Ali, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel and Zahid Mahmood.

Mohammad Huraira, Mubasir Khan, Rohail Nazir and Qasim Akram have been short-listed in the Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year category. Players born on or after August 1, 1999, and yet to make international debut for Pakistan in the 15-month period from September 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, were considered for this category.

For the Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year, Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Najiha Alvi and Syeda Aroob Shah have been short-listed, while Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Muneeba Ali have been nominated for the Women’s Cricketer of the Year award.

The four umpires shortlisted on the recommendation of the match referees and six First XI Cricket Association captains are Ahsan Raza, Asif Yaqoob, Ghaffar Kazmi and Shozab Raza.