Afridi, Mandhana honoured, Pakistan dominate ICC awards

Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has been named men's Cricketer of the Year, combining with teammates Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to help his country dominate the annual awards announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

England captain Joe Root won the Test Player of the Year honours to prevent a sweep of the men's awards by Pakistan.

Pakistan captain Babar was adjudged One-Day Cricketer of the Year while his deputy Rizwan grabbed the T20 award.

A fourth Pakistan cricketer, Fatima Sana, won the Emerging Women's Cricketer of the year award.

In the women's category, India opener Smriti Mandhana won the Cricketer of the Year award.

South Africa's Lizelle Lee took the one-day honours, while England's Tammy Beaumont bagged the T20 award.

Known for his sizzling yorkers and an ability to swing the ball, Afridi claimed 78 wickets in 36 internationals in 2021 and was at his best at the Twenty20 World Cup, even though Pakistan went out in the semi-finals.

Root was rewarded for his sublime form in 2021 when he become only the third player – after Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan and West Indies great Viv Richards – to score more than 1700 runs in Test cricket in a calendar year.

"If there was one hundred that really sticks out it would probably be in Chennai against India," Root said referring to his stellar 218 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

"With it being my 100th game it is something that will live long in the memory."

Last week, the ICC unveiled its Teams of the Year with Marnus Labuschagne (men's Tests), Alyssa Healy (women's ODIs), Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazlewood (both men's T20s) the only Australians selected.

2021 ICC Awards

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)

Men's Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)

Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)

Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)

Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)

Emerging Men's Cricketer of the Year – Janneman Malan (South Africa)

Emerging Women's Cricketer of the Year – Fatima Sana (Pakistan)

Men's Associate Cricketer of the Year – Zeeshan Maqsood (Oman)

Women's Associate Cricketer of the Year – Andrea-Mae Zepeda (Austria)

Umpire of the Year – Marais Erasmus

Teams of the Year

Men's Test Team for 2021: Dimuth Karunaratne (SL), Rohit Sharma (India), Marnus Labuschagne (AUS), Joe Root (ENG), Kane Williamson (NZ), Fawad Alam (PAK), Rishabh Pant (IND, WK), Ravichandran Ashwin (IND), Kyle Jamison (NZ), Hasan Ali (PAK), Shaheen Afridi (PAK).

Men's ODI Team of 2021: Paul Stirling (IRE), Janneman Malan (SA), Babar Azam (PAK, C), Fakhar Zaman (PAK), Rassie van der Dussen (SA), Shakib Al-Hasan (BANG), Mushfiqur Rahim (BANG, WK), Wanindu Hasaranga (SL), Mustafizur Rahman (BANG), Simi Singh (IRE), Dushmantha Chameera (SL)

Women's ODI Team of 2021: Lizelle Lee (SA), Alyssa Healy (AUS), Tammy Beaumont (ENG), Mithali Raj (IND), Heather Knight (ENG, C), Marizanne Kapp (SA), Hayley Matthews (WI), Fatima Sana (PAK), Jhulan Goswami (IND), Shabnim Ismail (SA), Anisa Mohammed (WI).

Men's T20I Team of 2021: Jos Butler (ENG), Mohammad Rizwan (PAK, WK), Babar Azam (PAK, C), Aiden Markram (SA), Mitchell Marsh (AUS), David Miller (SA), Wanindu Hasaranga (SL), Tabraiz Shamsi (SA), Josh Hazlewood (AUS), Mustafizur Rahman (BANG), Shaheen Afridi (PAK).

Women's T20I Team of 2021: Smriti Mandhana (IND), Tammy Beaumont (ENG), Danni Wyatt (ENG), Gaby Lewis (IRE), Nat Sciver (ENG, C) Amy Jones (ENG, WK), Laura Wolvaardt (SA), Marizanne Kapp (SA), Sophie Ecclestone (ENG), Loryn Phiri (ZIM), Shabnim Ismail (SA).