The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the Men’s T20I Team of 2021 on January 19. The team featured three Pakistani players, with their T20I captain Babar Azam also included in the list. Two Aussie cricketers Mitchell Marsh and Josh Hazelwood were also present in the team selected by the ICC.
Aiden Markram and Tabraiz Shamsi found spots as the middle-order batsman and frontline spinner respectively. Another South African David Miller as well made his way to the team as the finisher. Shamsi will get assistance from Wanindu Hasaranga in the spin department. Mustafizur Rahman has been added to the XI as a pacer.
The ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year certainly packs a punch ?
More ? https://t.co/TtQKyBL3rw pic.twitter.com/mhfNsE2mU3
— ICC (@ICC) January 19, 2022
Mohammad Rizwan was drafted into the team considering his consistent dominance in the shortest format of the game. England’s Jos Buttler partnered the Pakistani batsman as his opening partner. Babar Azam has been picked as the captain of the team.
Aiden Markram was chosen as the number four batsman in ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year. Markram played quite a few vital knocks for his national side in last year’s World Cup. Mitchell Marsh has found a place in the XI as an all-rounder. The Aussie played a match-winning knock in the final of the tournament. David Miller has been included in the team for performing the finisher’s duties.
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Tabraiz Shamsi and Wanindu Hasaranga will play the role of spinners with the latter also having the capability to contribute with the bat. Josh Hazelwood, Mustafizur Rahman and Shaheen Afridi were the three pacers selected by the ICC.
ICC Men’s T20I Team of 2021: Jos Buttler, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (c), Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Josh Hazlewood, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman, Shaheen Shah Afridi