Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam has been named captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year for 2022.
In his nine games in 2022, Azam, then age 28, scored eight scores of at least fifty.
The ICC stated in a press release that Pakistan skipper Babar Azam “once again demonstrated his skill in the 50-over format, demonstrating once again why he has ruled the roost at the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings since July 2021.”
“It was a memorable year for Babar as captain of the Pakistan ODI team, winning three series out of three. Pakistan was unstoppable in the ODI format, losing just one match (against Australia) out of nine. His leadership skills mean that he leads the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year for 2022,” it added.
Azam has been positioned at the front of the lineup alongside Travis Head from Australia.
“Head, who often bats in the middle of the order, masterfully remade himself as the opener in ODIs, becoming as one of Australia’s most reliable hitters in the format. Head had a year to remember after scoring 550 runs from nine games at an average of 68.75 and being one of the first names on the Australian team sheet “ICC said. His runs included two centuries and three fifties, coming at a strike rate of 112.24.
Zimbabwean players were rarely in the starting lineup, but following a standout season, Sikandar Raza would have been one of the first names on the list.
