Shakib nominated for ICC ODI player of year

Bangladesh’s ace all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been nominated for the 2021 ICC Men’s ODI Player of the Year award.

Shakib has been shortlisted for the prestigious award alongside Pakistan captain Babar Azam, South Africa opener Janneman Malan and Ireland opening batsman Paul Stirling, the cricket’s governing body said in a media release on Thursday.

The talismanic all-rounder returned to international cricket in 2021 after his one-year suspension for not disclosing contacts with bookmakers.

Shakib played a total of nine one-day internationals this year where he accumulated 277 runs at an average of 39.57 with two fifties and claimed 17 wickets at an average of 17.52.

Shakib took part in a trifecta of three-match ODI series against the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and played a crucial part in the Tigers winning all three of those series.

He began the year in style with a player of the series award against the West Indies in January, where he made 113 runs and took six wickets.

Shakib scored just 19 runs and scalped three wickets in the Sri Lanka series before aggregating 145 runs and accounting for eight wickets against Zimbabwe to win his second player of the series award in the calendar year.

Performances during the period of January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021, were considered for the nominations.

The awards will be given in a total of seven categories and ICC’s voting academy, comprising a wider selection of global cricket journalists and broadcasters, will vote for their first, second and third choices for each category.

The ICC will also take into consideration fans’ votes via ICC’s digital channels.

The men’s awards will be announced on January 24.