Babar bags another honour, named ODI team of the year captain

LAHORE: Babar Azam is the captain of the ODI team of the year which the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Thursday.

Fakhar Zaman is the other Pakistani in the XI.

Babar was also named the captain of the T20I team of the year announced the other day.

Last year, Babar played only 6 matches, but still managed to score 405 runs at an average of 67.50 with two centuries. The skipper made vital contributions in tough away tours of South Africa and England, grabbing the Player of the Match awards in both victories. He also scored a memorable ton in Birmingham in conditions that assisted the seamers.

The ICC also included Fakhar in the ICC ODI team of the year for his “stellar run” in the national side’s ODI matches in 2021. Last year, Fakhar played six matches and aggregated 365 runs at an average of 60.83 with two centuries. One of the centuries came against South Africa — 193, almost taking Pakistan home in their chase of 342 in Johannesburg.

The 11-member ODI team comprises Babar Azam (c), Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Rassie van der Dussen, Shakib Al Hasan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Simi Singh and Dushmantha Chameera.

Meanwhile, three Pakistan players have been named in the ICC Test Team of the year. These are middle-order batter Fawad Alam and pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali.

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has been picked as the captain.

Fawad scored 571 runs in 9 matches at an average of 57.10 with three centuries. His hundreds rescued Pakistan in tough situations against South Africa, Zimbabwe and West Indies.

Fast bowler Hasan was included in the XI for bagging 41 wickets in 9 matches at a stunning average of 16.07.

Shaheen sealed his spot in the lineup after claiming 47 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 17.06, including three five-wicket hauls.

“It was a year to remember for Shaheen Afridi, especially in the longest form of the game. Extracting brilliant movement with the new ball and reversing it with the old,” the ICC press release said.

The Test team of the year comprises Kane Williamson (c), Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand), Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Marnus Labuschagne (Australia), Joe Root (England), Fawad Alam, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan).