Riz-wins T20I Player of the Year Award, Fatima Sana is Emerging Player of the Year

Pakistan’s wicket-keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has been named the ICC men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year for 2021, while a young female cricketer of the Pakistan women’s cricket team Fatima Sana has been named ICC women’s Emerging Player of the Year.

Rizwan, who also won the PCB’s Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year award recently following a stellar year, scored 1326 runs in 29 T20Is at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89. He was also responsible for 22 dismissals behind the stumps in the format.

At the Men’s T20 World Cup, where Pakistan lost in the semi-finals, Rizwan finished as the third-highest run-getter with 281 runs in six matches. In 2021, Rizwan also became the first batter to touch the 1000-run mark in a calendar year in T20Is, and the 2000-run mark in T20s.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s Fatima Sana, a seam-bowling allrounder, was named ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year. Sana, 20, claimed 24 wickets and scored 165 runs in 16 games across ODI and T20I cricket in 2021.

Apart from playing West Indies at home, she also toured South Africa and the West Indies, and played the Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. Her most eye-catching performance came in an ODI in Antigua in July, when she hit an unbeaten 28 off 19 and then took her maiden international five-wicket haul to help Pakistan to a win.

Our star 🌟! treat @imfatimasana ? https://t.co/cCkvBDph0E

— Sana Mir ثناء میر (@mir_sana05) January 23, 2022

Congratulations to Fatima sana…whole nation is proud of you..girl power🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/HVFW2Kpm0h

— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) January 23, 2022

Our women’s team leading the way and making Pakistan proud. Keep shining Fatima Sana. Congratulations. #PakistanZindabad🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰 pic.twitter.com/O9NcxOTfvA

— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an) January 23, 2022

Twitter was flooded with the congratulatory messages for both cricketers

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja congratulated Rizwan on a “well deserved achievement”. He lauded the cricketer, saying:

“Your humility, attitude and hard work defines you,” and wished more laurels and success to him.

Many congratulations @iMRizwanPak Well deserved achievement. Your humility, attitude and hard work defines you. Wishing you more laurels and success.

— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) January 23, 2022

Meanwhile, PCB’s official Twitter account also posted a congratulatory tweet for Rizwan.

PCB congratulates Mohammad Rizwan on winning ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2021 pic.twitter.com/tu7x0peXkl

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 23, 2022

Srilankan cricketer Dimuth Karunarathna, Pakistani all-rounder Shadab Khan and many took to Twitter to congratulate Rizwan.

Congratulations @iMRizwanPak For Winning @ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the year. Well deserved award! 👏🏼 #ICCAwards #ICCAwards2021 @TheRealPCB

— Dimuth Karunarathna (@IamDimuth) January 23, 2022

Men’s T20I cricketer of the year= @iMRizwanPak. No one deserved it more. His work ethic is what makes him special. Rizzi bhai keep shining, keep making Pakistan proud. #ICCAwards #PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/lh7hEE27d8

— Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) January 23, 2022

Senator Faisal Javed Khan also congratulated “Pakistan’s star cricketer” on Twitter. He also congratuled Fatima in another tweet.

Congratulations to Pakistan's star cricketer Mohammad Rizwan @iMRizwanPak upon getting nominated as the Men's T20 #Cricketer of the Year by @ICC. Well-deserved. Whole nation is proud of you. #DairAala pic.twitter.com/mfifMX6qTV

— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) January 23, 2022

Congratulations Fatima upon becoming the first Pakistani woman cricketer to win an ICC award.

Fatima Sana – Emerging Cricketer of the Year for 2021 @imfatimasana pic.twitter.com/8IVeaAciyD

— Faisal Javed Khan (@FaisalJavedKhan) January 24, 2022

Taking to Twitter, Rizwan said that the journey has just started.

Alhumdulillah.

Bus Allah se hota hai
Allah k ghair se nahi hota.

I am grateful to everyone for their support and love. In sha Allah, the journey has just started. This award is dedicated to Pakistan and the beautiful people of Pakistan. #PakistanZindabad https://t.co/RrMYw9YaAN

— Muhammad Rizwan (@iMRizwanPak) January 23, 2022

While Fatima said that she is honoured, humbled and overwhelmed.

Allahundulillah 😇
Honoured, Humbled, overwhelmed 🙏🏼

Thank you each and everyone for showing love, support, appreciation & most importantly your duas – need them the most.
INSHALLAH the journey has just started.#PakistanZindabad #ICCAwards2021 pic.twitter.com/ABslKDWTSo

— Fatima Sana🇵🇰 (@imfatimasana) January 23, 2022