Babar Azam, A Cricket Player For Pakistan, Was Voted Player Of The Year
In all of the international cricket last year, he was the only batsman to score over 2,500 runs across all forms.
Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan’s national cricket team, is the second Pakistani player to receive the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for Cricketer of the Year from the International Cricket Council (ICC).
For his exceptional efforts in the format, Azam was also named the men’s ODI player of the year for the second consecutive year.
In addition to guiding the squad to the finals of both the Asia Cup and the World T20 in Australia last year, he was the only hitter in international cricket to surpass 2,500 runs in all forms.
The Pakistani skipper amassed eight centuries across all forms while averaging 54 runs per innings.
Azam expressed his happiness at reaching the ranks of some of the “iconic and renowned names” of the game in a video greeting.
“I still look up to these athletes and prior winners for motivation, inspiration, and progress. Cricket is a team sport, therefore without the tremendous support of my family, team, fans, and the institution, to all of whom I am very grateful and appreciative, this honour and success would not have been possible, he added.
Amazing Numbers
Azam, who also took home the ODI player of the year honour in 2021, is still the best ODI hitter in the world and scored more than 600 runs in only nine games in 2022.
His test results were outstanding as well; in the format, he scored more than 1,000 runs. However, his squad struggled; last year, despite playing eight test matches, all on home soil, Pakistan failed to win a single one.
Ben Stokes of England received the award for best test player, while Suryakumar Yadav of India earned the T20 player of the year title.
Stokes had a fantastic year. He is also the captain of the English test squad, which is recognised for introducing a ferocious, aggressive brand of cricket in the longest format.
He led his side to nine victories out of ten games this year, including a clean sweep of Pakistan, while scoring more than 800 runs and taking 26 wickets.
Stokes acknowledged the support of his teammates and management while thanking the ICC, the jury, and the audience for the honour.
“We love having fun wherever we play, and we are loving our cricket. In a video message, he said that his team’s strategy for playing Test cricket is to “excite the spectators and make it a spectacle for everyone to get behind and enjoy regardless of the outcome for England.”
India’s Yadav had a fantastic year, scoring more than 1,100 runs at an incredible strike rate of more than 187 in the shortest and most hectic format.
In the format, he amassed two centuries, nine half-centuries, and 68 sixes in 2022, the highest by any player in a calendar year.
