Pakistan and Middlesex seamer Shaheen Shah Afridi has been named as the ICC’s Men’s Cricketer of the Year for 2021.
The 21-year-old took 78 wickets in 36 matches at an average of 22.20 across all three formats in the international game.
In nine Tests, the left-arm quick claimed 47 scalps at 17.06 apiece and picked up career-best figures of 6/51 against West Indies along the way.
In six One-Day Internationals, Afridi picked up eight wickets in six matches with his best return (3/58) coming against South Africa in April.
Afridi had a fantastic 12 months in T20 international cricket, ending the year with 23 wickets in 21 matches, which included a memorable spell against India at the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE, taking 3/31 from his four overs. That performance was officially named as the ICC’s Play of the Tournament.
Despite Afridi’s 3/31, his best figures of the year came against West Indies where he returned 3/26.
In his acceptance speech, Afridi said: “I tried to produce performances for Pakistan. In 2021, our team performed really well and we won some very good matches.
“I always try to produce good performances for Pakistan and I will continue my efforts,” he added.
“I had many good performances including five-fors in Tests, but the most memorable one for me would be the match that we won against India. It was a historical match and any match against India draw in a big audience.
“It was a great year for me and hopefully you will see good performances in 2022 too.”
Don’t miss Shaheen Shah Afridi at Lord’s this summer! 2022 Middlesex memberships are available to buy here from as little as £20 per month.
