Mohammad Rizwan has been awarded the Most Valuable Cricketer for the year 2021

Mohammad Rizwan has been named the PCB’s Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year. Following a fantastic 2021 season in which he scored 455 Test, 134 ODI, and 1,326 T20I runs while also accounting for 56 batsmen behind the wickets across all formats.

Rizwan knocked out Babar Azam, Hasan Ali, and Shaheen Shah Afridi for the Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year title. They all had a great and outstanding year, which is reflected in Pakistan’s overall achievement in 2021.

Rizwan was also named T20I Cricketer of the Year by an independent panel*, in addition to the Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year award.

“I feel humbled and honoured to have been adjudged Pakistan’s Most Valuable Cricketer of 2021. This is the PCB’s most prestigious award and to be recognised for my contributions in the team’s superlative performances across all formats in 2021 in such a way gives me tremendous satisfaction and happiness.

“I thought I had an exceptional year in the shortest format of the game when I was able to hit a century early in the year against South Africa and then carry that confidence and momentum for the rest of the year. I give a lot of credit to our bowlers who bowled their hearts out and didn’t let the pressure get onto the batters by maintaining sustained pressure on the opponents throughout the year.” Said Mohammad Rizwan.

Hasan Ali was awarded Test Cricketer of the Year after taking 41 wickets in nine Tests, including a 10-wicket haul and five five-wicket hauls, as well as two player of the match and one player of the series accolades.

Babar Azam, Pakistan’s all-round skipper, won the ODI Cricketer of the Year title after scoring 405 runs in six ODIs, including two centuries and a half-century.

“Test cricket is the pinnacle format of the game and to be adjudged as the Test Cricketer of the Year is a proud moment for me. Last year was sort of a comeback year for me after I had missed international cricket in 2020 due to an injury. I was not only able to make a successful return to international cricket but also played my part in the team’s overall success in 2021.

“Taking 10 wickets against South Africa in Rawalpindi in my second Test in nearly two years and helping Pakistan win the series 2-0 was one of my highlights of the year and a very happy moment that set the stage for the remaining part of the year.” Said Hasan Ali.

Shaheen Shah Afridi earned the Impactful Performance of the Year award for his three for 31 against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 on 24th October in Dubai. This performance transformed the team’s mindset, as it not only defeated India by 10 wickets, but also went undefeated in league matches until losing a heartbreaking semi-final match to Australia. Pakistan stayed unbeaten in Bangladesh and in the home T20I series against the West Indies following the T20 World Cup.

“I am extremely happy that my performance against our traditional rivals in a global event has been chosen as the Impactful Performance of the Year. For the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the team wanted an aggressive, fearless and convincing start to set the tone for the rest of the event and I am delighted that I was able to provide exactly that.” Said Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Mohammad Wasim Junior won Emerging Cricketer of the Year for his 45 wickets in 2021, including 15 in his maiden year of international cricket, while Nida Dar won Women’s Cricketer of the Year for her 604 runs and 25 wickets.

After scoring 487 runs in the Pakistan Cup, 447 runs in the National T20, and 935 runs in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Sahibzada Farhan was awarded Domestic Cricketer of the Year.

Asif Yaqoob was named Umpire of the Year for the second year in a row by PCB’s premier match officials.

Following their 45-run victory, the Pakistan cricket team visited to Namibia’s dressing room to congratulate and thank them for qualifying for their first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and reaching the Super-12 stage, earning them the Spirit of Cricket award.

“On behalf of the PCB, I want to congratulate each award winner. They deserve all the applause and accolades for their tremendous consistency across all formats in difficult times that inspired their sides to outstanding performances throughout 2021, which have been widely acknowledged by the Pakistan cricket fans.” Said PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja.

PCB Awards 2021 winners:

Impactful performance of the year

Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-31 v Ind, T20 World Cup)

Emerging Cricketer of the Year

Mohammad Wasim Jnr (15 international wickets, seven Pakistan Cup wickets, 12 HBL PSL 2021 wickets, five National T20 wickets and six Quaid-e-Azam Trophy wickets)

ODI Cricketer of the Year

Babar Azam (6 ODIs, 405 runs)

Women’s Cricketer of the Year

Nida Dar (10 ODIs, 363 runs and 6 wickets; 6 T20Is, 95 runs and 5   wickets; 146 runs and 14 wickets in Pakistan Women’s Cup)

Test Cricketer of the Year

Hasan Ali (9 Tests, 41 wickets, 5 five-fors, 1 10-for, best match figures 10-114)

T20I Cricketer of the Year

M Rizwan (29 T20Is, 1,326 runs)

Spirit of Cricket

Following their 45-run victory, the Pakistan cricket team paid a visit to the Namibia cricket team’s dressing room to congratulate them on qualifying for their first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and then moving to the Super-12 Stage.

Umpire of the Year

Asif Yaqoob (selected by the PCB’s elite match officials)

Domestic Cricketer of the Year

Sahibzada Farhan (1,869 runs in Pakistan Cup, National T20 and Quaid-e-Azam Trophy)

Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year

M Rizwan (9 Tests, 455 runs; 6 ODIs, 134 runs; 29 T20Is, 1,326 runs; total dismissal 56)

INDEPENDENT PANEL

Rashid Latif (chair, former Pakistan captain)

Marina Iqbal (former international cricketer and broadcaster)

Tariq Saeed (broadcaster)

Mazher Arshad (statistician)