DUBAI: Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam has been named ICC ODI Men’s Cricketer of the Year for the second time in a row.
Babar, who received the prestigious award last year too, overpowered Australia’s Adam Zampa, Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and West Indies’ Shai Hope this time to clinch the title of ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year for 2022.
The top-ranked ODI batter, who has been ruling the rankings chart since July 2021, accumulated 679 runs in nine matches during the previous year.
Babar carried on his astounding form in the 50-over format and crossed the fifty-plus score eight times and converted three of those into centuries. Babar finished the year with a stunning average of 84.87.
“There were match-winning knocks, spell-binding stroke-play and memorable moments from a personal perspective and his team in 2022 as Pakistan skipper Babar Azam claimed the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Award for a second consecutive year.,” said ICC in a media release on Thursday.
“And it wasn’t just from an individual level that Babar thrived, with the Pakistan captain also leading his team with aplomb and to just one loss throughout the year.”
Babar’s ultra-consistent performances last year have also earned him a nomination for the most coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year. He was included in the ICC Test Team of the Year besides leading the ODI Team of the Year, announced earlier this week.
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