Pakistani cricketers Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf have been named to the ICC Men’s ODI Cricket Team of the Year. The ICC released its list on Friday.
Saim Ayub, an emerging cricketing sensation in Pakistan, debuted his ODI against Australia in November last year. In three ODIs, he scored 125 runs.
The ICC said three of his last five innings had produced centuries, including two in South Africa in December. In that three-match series, he averaged 78.3.
Saim Ayub, however, has been ruled out of competitive cricket due to his fracture in the ankle. The cricketer is on a six-week rest, and will probably miss the upcoming ICC’s Champions Trophy. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation in the UK.
In his nine ODIs for Pakistan, the left-handed batter scored 515 runs at an average of 64.37 with a strike rate of 105.53.
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Shaheen Shah Afridi, the leading pacer of the Pakistan Cricket Team is also part of the ICC’s team. According to ICC, the pacer had a ‘big impact’ despite only playing six ODIs in the calendar year. He bagged 15 wickets, had a bowling average of 17.6, and best bowling figures of 4/47.
“Possessing one of world cricket’s best bowling strike rates, he continued to prove himself as one of the most consistent performers at the international level,” ICC said.
ICC described Haris Rauf as “firing on all cylinders” in 2024. The pacer collected 13 wickets across eight ODIs, with a bowling average of 22.4 and best bowling figures of 5/29. He was also named ICC Player of the Month for November 2024.
The ICC list mostly names players from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and West Indies. Notably, none of the Indian players made it to the list.
On the other hand, Pakistan is set to host the Champions Trophy next month. Before that, it will also host the Tri-nation series played between Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa.