Pakistan’s star batter, Babar Azam, has been named one of the four nominees for the prestigious International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year Award.
Babar, the former top-ranked T20I batter, faces competition from India’s Arshdeep Singh, Australia’s Travis Head, and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza for the honor.
Despite a mixed year with the bat, Babar Azam scored 738 runs in 24 matches, maintaining a solid average of 33.54. His performance included six half-centuries and nearly 100 boundaries.
His strike rate also saw improvement, clocking at 133.21 runs per 100 balls. Babar’s standout performance came in a three-match series against Ireland before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, where he scored 75 runs off 42 balls, with six fours and five sixes at a remarkable strike rate of 178.57.
Arshdeep Singh, India’s left-arm pacer, had an exceptional year, claiming 36 wickets in 18 matches at an outstanding average of 13.5, with the best bowling figures of 4/9. He played a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup win, especially in the final against South Africa.
Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza has been nominated for the third consecutive year, with 573 runs and 24 wickets in 24 matches. His highest score of 133 not out came during Zimbabwe’s unbeaten run in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier.
Australia’s Travis Head impressed with 539 runs in 15 matches, averaging 38.5, and a strike rate of 178.47, marking his best T20I year yet.
