Rizwan, Beaumont named ICC T20 cricketers of the year

Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan was prolific with the bat in 2021 and on Sunday was named the ICC T20 cricketer of the year.

Mohammad Rizwan scored 1,321 runs in 2021 and was Pakistan’s highest run-getter in the T20 World Cup.

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and England's Tammy Beaumont were on Sunday named ICC T20 cricketers of the year.

Rizwan, scored 1,326 runs in 29 matches in the shortest format of the game, at an average of 73.66 and a strike-rate of 134.89.

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Apart from his exploits with the bat, he was solid behind the stumps, playing a key role in Pakistan’s run to the semifinal in the T20 World Cup in 2021. Rizwan ended up as the third-highest run-getter in the tournament.

Rizwan also scored the maiden T20I century of his career against South Africa in Lahore early in the year. In his last T20 innings of 2021, he scored 87 against West Indies in Karachi.

Beaumont was also her side's highest run-getter in the year in T20Is.

In a low-scoring rubber against New Zealand away from home, Beaumont was the top scorer and was awarded the Player of the Series for scoring 102 runs in three matches. She scored a brilliant fifty in a match against India, though it went in vain after a lower-order collapse. 

Against New Zealand, Beaumont continued to be among the runs, this time when the Kiwis visited England for a limited-overs tour. She once again finished as the highest run-getter in the series with 113 runs. Her 97 in the series opener against New Zealand at home propelled England to its highest T20I total in 2021.