5 Players who could win the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award 2021

Joe Root has been amongst the best performers of the year
Joe Root has been amongst the best performers of the year

#3 Trent Boult

India v New Zealand - ICC World Test Championship Final: Reserve Day
India v New Zealand - ICC World Test Championship Final: Reserve Day

Trent Boult has been one of the most consistent bowlers in the world for a while. He did no harm to his reputation this year as he repeatedly turned up for the Kiwis yet again. He was instrumental for New Zealand in the World Test Championship as he helped his country win their first ICC trophy in 21 years.

He picked up five wickets in the final, including the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant. He also played two other Test matches, picking up 11 wickets. In three ODIs, he picked up 5 wickets while conceding less than 4 per over.

The 32-year-old hasn't always been considered a top T20 bowler, but he's managed to change that over the last couple of years. Boult showed further signs of improvement this year with 23 wickets to his name in 15 games. He was also in the Team of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup, where he ended the campaign as the top wicket taker amongst fast bowlers.


#2 Joe Root

England v India - Third LV= Insurance Test Match: Day Two
England v India - Third LV= Insurance Test Match: Day Two

The English Test skipper has had an absolutely phenomenal year, quite literally scoring runs for fun. Previously, Root had a couple of rather mediocre years by his lofty standards and has been criticized for his conversion rate. With 6 centuries this year, he has managed to prove his doubters wrong.

Joe Root has scored a remarkable 1455 runs in 12 tests this year, including two double hundreds and two more scores in the 180s. There's a great chance that the 30-year-old could break Mohammad Yousuf's record of most Test runs(1788) in a calendar year with England's three upcoming tests against Australia.

The elegant batsman also recorded 79* and 68* in the two ODIs he got a chance to bat in. While he has been superb, the fact that he has predominantly played in a single format could hurt his chances of winning the all-format award.

Moreover, 2021 being a T20 World Cup year means that there could be added importance to the shortest format of the game where he didn't make a single appearance. Thus, he finds himself one place behind first on the list.


#1 Mohammad Rizwan

Pakistan v Australia - ICC Men's T20 World Cup Semi-Final 2021
Pakistan v Australia - ICC Men's T20 World Cup Semi-Final 2021

Mohammad Rizwan has been on the international scene for a while now. However, it was only this year that he realized his full potential and established himself as one of the best in the business. The 29-year old has scored more than half of his international runs this year alone, and has even managed to outperform his skipper Babar Azam.

He has scored 1123 runs in 23 T20I innings at an astounding average of 74.86 and a strike rate of over 131. He has 10 fifties and a hundred to his name as well. Rizwan also has 397 runs in Tests and 134 in ODIs, and has been the leading run scorer in international cricket this year.

The Pakistani wicket-keeper is also joint-first for dismissals along with Jos Buttler, and has taken 48 catches to go with 2 stumpings. Rizwan could yet potentially play in eight more games, which gives him a huge advantage over his competitors. With such impressive year-round figures, Rizwan will be a strong contender for the prestigious award.

Honorable mentions: Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Rohit Sharma, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood

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