A talismanic all-rounder, two dashing openers and the top-ranked batter in the 50-over format make the list of nominees for 2021 ICC Men's ODI Player of the Year awards.
The ICC Awards 2021 will recognise the outstanding achievements and feats in cricket over the past year.
Shakib Al Hasan – Bangladesh
277 runs in nine matches at an average of 39.57 with two fifties; 17 wickets at an average of 17.52
Shakib Al Hasan marked his return from a two-year ban (suspended for one year) in style with a Player of the Series-winning performance against West Indies in January 2021. Despite last playing an ODI in July 2019, there were no signs of rust as Shakib amassed 113 runs and scalped six wickets in Bangladesh's 3-0 sweep.
Shakib endured a lean series against Sri Lanka at home, where he scored just 19 runs and snared three wickets in the three matches. However, he hit his stride in the three-match series against Zimbabwe, aggregating 145 runs and accounting for eight wickets.
He picked up his second Player of the Series award in the calendar year as Bangladesh completed yet another series sweep.
Memorable performance
As he has done often for Bangladesh, Shakib came to his team's rescue both with the bat and the ball in the second ODI against Zimbabwe at Harare.
Opting to bat first, Zimbabwe recovered after losing the openers in the Powerplay. Just when Brendan Taylor and Regis Chakabva were starting to look dangerous, Shakib broke the 47-run stand, dismissing the latter. He then picked up the wicket of the well-set Dion Myers for 34 and finished with 2/42 in 10 overs.
Chasing 241, Shakib walked out to bat at No.3 in the last over of the Powerplay. Bangladesh soon found themselves in a spot of bother at 75/4 at the end of 18 overs. The talismanic all-rounder first added 55 vital runs with Mahmudullah before stitching a 28-run stand with Afif Hossain for the seventh wicket.
Zimbabwe had Bangladesh on the ropes at 173/7, at which point the visitors still needed 68 runs in 71 balls with just three wickets in hand. Thankfully for Bangladesh, Shakib was still at the crease, unbeaten on 63. With the support of Mohammad Saifuddin, he got the Tigers across the line with five balls to spare and wrapped up the series in the process as well.