Babar Azam among four players nominated for Men's ODI Player of the Year

The nominations for the Men’s ODI player of the year for 2021 have been revealed. There were some exemplary performances on display by various players in the 50-overs format. Few players announced their arrival with a bang, while some seasoned players’ solidified their reputation as the top players in the game. The game's governing body has taken the performances and impact of the players on their teams into consideration and has come with four names.

Shakib Al Hasan, Babar Azam, Janneman Malan, and Paul Stirling are the players who are in contention to bag the coveted award. All the four cricketers were exceptional for their respective teams.

Talismanic Bangladesh all-rounder Hasan once proved why he is the best in business. He was the chief contributor with the bat and ball in a series win over West Indies. He scored 113 runs and picked up six wickets. Hasan ended the year amassing 277 runs and picking up 17 wickets.

Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam finished the year, scoring 405 in just six games. The skipper led from the front in the ODI series against South Africa and also in the 0-3 series loss against England. Azam bagged two players of the series award and thumped his authority as one of the best batters of the game.

South African opening batter Malan made his presence felt in the ODI team by scoring 509 in just eight matches. The right-hand batter mixed caution with aggression and was the team’s best batter in the ODI series against Sir Lanka, Ireland and Pakistan. On the other hand, Stirling finished the year as the highest run-scorer in the 50-over format. The veteran scored 705 runs in 14 games.