India’s dashing keeper-batter Rishabh Pant won top ‘Test batting’ prize for his series-winning knock of 89 against Australia in Brisbane last year while New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was adjudged ‘Captain of the Year’ at the 15th Annual ESPNcricinfo awards.
The Test bowling award went to Kyle Jamieson for his 5 for 31, which helped New Zealand become the first World Test champions.
Pant steered India to an unlikely victory in the dying moments of play in the final Test, taking them to a 2-1 series win. Few would have predicted India to emerge victorious as they went into the match with a third-string side in the wake of numerous injuries to their first-choice players.
Williamson, who was up against Virat Kohli, Babar Azam and Aaron Finch for the award, won it for leading his side to the World Test Championship win and a runners-up place at the T20 World Cup.
England fast bowler Ollie Robinson was named Debutant of the Year for his 37 wickets at 21.16 in eight Tests, which made him England’s second highest wicket-taker in Tests in 2021.
While England men’s side had a largely forgettable year, they still managed to grab three awards.
Saqib Mahmood’s 4 for 42 in a nine-wicket win over Pakistan got him the top ODI bowling prize. Jos Buttler won the T20I batting award for his unbeaten 101 off 67 balls on a challenging surface in Sharjah against Sri Lanka at the T20 World Cup.
The ODI batting and T20I bowling awards went to Pakistan. Fakhar Zaman won the top batting prize for his 155-ball 193 against South Africa at the Wanderers, the highest score in an ODI chase and the second highest ever in a losing cause.
And, Shaheen Afridi won the T20I bowling award for his annihilation of India in the 10-wicket win for Pakistan at the T20 World Cup.
The jury for the awards included former players Daniel Vettori, Ian Bishop, Tom Moody, Ajit Agarkar, Lisa Sthalekar, Daryll Cullinan, Russel Arnold, Daren Ganga, Shahriar Nafees, Bazid Khan and Mark Nicholas, as well as ESPNcricinfo’s senior editors and writers.
The jury picked the best performances in the three men’s international formats, and performances in women’s and Associates cricket at large, in the previous calendar year.
