Dubai December 2022: Batters from three different continents have been shortlisted for the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2022 award. Here, we take a look at their exploits.
Suryakumar Yadav – India
1164 runs in 31 matches
The year that was
Suryakumar Yadav had a sensational 2022 in the shortest format of the game, becoming just the second batter to score more than 1000 runs in a year in the format. He ended the year as the highest run-getter, scoring 1164 runs at a ridiculous strike-rate of 187.43.
His tally of 68 sixes in the calendar year in T20Is is the highest anyone has recorded in the format in a year by a fair distance. Yadav’s incredible consistency in the format is reflected in his average which stood in the mid-40s. With two hundreds and nine half-centuries in the year, Yadav was the standout men’s T20I batter.
In the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, Yadav recorded three fifties in six innings, averaging nearly 60 in the tournament while going at a strike-rate of 189.68.
He continued his stellar year after the tournament too, recording his second hundred in T20Is in the year in the bilateral series in New Zealand. The year also saw Yadav become the top-ranked MF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, achieving a career-high 890 rating points.
Memorable performance
In what was an outstanding year for Yadav in T20Is, there were quite a few eye-catching performances. His maiden T20I hundred, a stunning 117 off 55 balls against England in Nottingham, however, stood out.
From 31/3 in a run chase of 216, Yadav lifted India with his outrageous stroke-making, giving the visitors a chance at chasing down the target. His dismissal sealed India’s hopes, but he put the team within touching distance of what would have been an incredible win.
Sikandar Raza – Zimbabwe
735 runs and 25 wickets in 24 matches
The year that was
Sikandar Raza had a stellar year with the bat and also contributed significantly with the ball in T20Is. A remarkable showing in the T20 World Cup in Australia capped off a memorable year for the Zimbabwe all-rounder.
With 735 runs in the year at a strike-rate of over 150, Raza scored more than 250 runs over the next best Zimbabwe batter in T20Is. He also led the wickets chart for them, taking 25 wickets at an excellent economy rate of 6.13.
Memorable performance
While Raza’s year with the bat was truly remarkable, his standout performance came in a game where he made little contribution with the bat. He played a massive role in Zimbabwe’s win over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, taking 3/25 with the ball before inflicting the run out off the final ball to give Zimbabwe the one-run victory.
Sam Curran – England
67 runs and 25 wickets in 19 matches
The year that was
The Player of the Tournament at the 2022 T20 World Cup, Sam Curran’s bowling stocks in T20s rose in the year with his death bowling, in particular, earning plaudits.
With England missing key fast bowlers at the tournament, Curran stepped up admirably to finish the World Cup with 13 wickets to his name, second only to Wanindu Hasaranga of Sri Lanka.
His best of 5/10 against Afghanistan in the tournament was the first time any England bowler took a five-wicket haul in men’s T20Is. The left-arm quick made up for missing the 2021 edition of the tournament through injury with his impressive showing in Australia with the ball.
Curran’s exploits, including a three-wicket haul in the final, proved to be crucial in England winning their second T20 World Cup title.
Memorable performance
Curran’s remarkable T20 World Cup was the highlight of his year in this format, and his best showing came in the final against Pakistan in Melbourne, where he conceded just 12 runs in his fours overs while taking three wickets.
His victims included Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood and Mohammad Nawaz as Pakistan put up just 137 runs on board, a total that England overcame with an over to spare.
Mohammad Rizwan – Pakistan
996 runs, nine catches and three stumpings in 25 matches
The year that was
The wicket-keeper batter amassed 996 runs in the year, continuing on from his record-breaking year in T20Is in 2021. Only Suryakumar Yadav made more runs in the year in men’s T20Is.
Rizwan hit 10 half-centuries in the year in T20Is, and finished with 175 runs in the T20 World Cup, the joint-most by a Pakistan batter. Averaging 45.27 in T20Is in 2022, Rizwan enhanced his reputation as a high-quality anchor at the top of Pakistan’s batting line-up.
The year also saw Rizwan claim the top position in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings for batters for a brief while. He ends the year at No.2 with 836 rating points.
Memorable performance
Rizwan’s best came in the home series against England in the build-up to the T20 World Cup, when he made an unbeaten 88 off just 51 balls as Pakistan scaled a 200-plus target without the loss of a wicket.
