West Indies star batsman Shai Hope is in the running for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s One Day International (ODI) Cricketer of the Year (2021) and he will hope to dethrone Pakistan captain Babar Azam.
The 29-year-old Barbadian made his ODI debut in 2016 and since 2017, he has finished every year as West Indies’ highest run-scorer in ODIs. This year was no different as Hope was once again one of the few shining stars for the West Indies in a difficult year.
Hope did not get off the greatest of starts in 2022 but in typical fashion started to grind out runs in the latter half. He finished the year with 709 runs, which include three hundreds and two fifties, at an average of 35.45.
The right-handed Hope was often the lone warrior for West Indies in ODIs this year and as a result, four of his five fifty-plus scores this year came in losses. The one that didn’t – his 119 not out off 130 against the Netherlands – fetched him the Player of the Match in the first game of the three-match series in May-June 2022.
Chasing 241 in Amstelveen in a rain-reduced 45-overs-a-side game, Hope displayed the immaculate temperament he is known for and batted through till the end.
He was part of two 100-run partnerships, first with Shamarh Brooks for the first wicket and then with Brandon King for the unbeaten fourth wicket. Between the two partnerships was a mini-collapse but Hope weathered the storm to guide West Indies to victory.
Those performances may just be enough to give Hope the edge against Pakistan captain Babar Azam who is seeking to do a repeat. Azam once again showed his prowess in the 50-over format, showing once again why he has ruled the roost at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings since July 2021.
In the nine matches, Babar played this year, the 28-year-old registered eight scores of more than fifty, three of which he converted into hundreds. He finished the year with 679 runs at a stunning average of 84.87.
It was a memorable year for Babar as captain of the Pakistan ODI team, winning three series out of three. Pakistan were unstoppable in the ODI format, losing just one match (against Australia) out of nine.
Babar Azam put up one incredible ODI performance after another in 2022, but none more memorable than the 114 against Australia in Lahore.
Already down 1-0 in the series, Pakistan needed to win the keep the series alive. They were set a daunting target of 349 by Australia and needed their talisman to step up.
Openers Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq laid the foundation with a 118-run stand, after which Babar put on a masterclass in chasing a total. Walking out to bat when his team needed 231 from 187 balls, Babar almost took his side home with an exceptional display of shot-making.
He brought up his hundred off just 73 balls, his fastest ever in ODI cricket and stuck around till the 44th over. The rest of the batters finished the job as they recorded their highest-ever successful chase in ODIs.
Also in contention for ODI Player of the Year are Adam Zampa of Australia and Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe. (ICC)