LAHORE: Pakistan’s trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Saim Ayub for their consistent performances have been inducted into the Men’s ODI Team of the Year 2024, announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday.

Besides the Men’s ODI Team, the ICC also announced the Women’s ODI Team of the Year and Men’s Test Team of the Year.

Four Sri Lankan, three Pakistani, Three Afghani and one West Indies cricketers are amongst the cricketers to make a place in the eleven.

Rising young opener Saim has played nine ODIs and scoring 515 runs at an impressive average of 64.37 and strike-rate of 105.53 with the highest score of 113 not out. The left-handed batter scored three centuries and one half-century during the year 2024.

The 22-year-old Saim, who only debuted last November, accumulated a combined 125 runs from three ODIs in Australia, before scoring a maiden ODI ton in Zimbabwe shortly after. Three of his last five ODI innings have produced centuries, including two in South Africa in December, a three-match series that saw him average 78.3.

Left-arm pacer Shaheen played only nine ODIs during the year but bagged 15 wickets at a fine average of 17.6 with the best bowling of 4-47.

Fast bowler Haris grabbed 13 wickets in eight matches during 2024 at an average of 22.4 with the best figures of 5-29. The right-armer took 10 wickets across Pakistan’s three-game ODI series in Australia, which included his five-for in Adelaide where the tourists won comfortably.

No Pakistani cricketers could make to the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024 and the Women’s ODI Team of the year.

On Saturday, the ICC will announce Women’s T20I Team of the Year, Men’s T20I Team of the Year, ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year and ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year.

Batter Babar Azam will compete for the coveted ICC Men’s T20I cricketer of the Year 2024 award.

ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ben Duckett, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Kamindu Mendis, Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Pat Cummins (captain), Matt Henry, Jasprit Bumrah.

ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year: Saim Ayub, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wicket-keeper), Charith Asalanka (captain), Sherfane Rutherford, Azmatullah Omarzai, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, A.M. Ghazanfar.

ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year: Smriti Mandhana, Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Chamarti Athapaththu, Hayley Matthews, Marizanne Kapp, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Amy Jones (wicket-keeper), Deepti Sharma, Sophie Ecclestone, Kate Cross.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2025