Three Pakistani cricketers Fawad Alam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali have made it to the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2021.

“The ICC Team of the Year recognises 11 outstanding individuals who have impressed one and all – be it with the bat, the ball or their all-round exploits in a calendar year,” the ICC said in a statement.

The cricket’s governing body has placed Fawad on No.6 as a typical middle-order batter.

The ICC also recognised his struggle in the past years, saying, “at the age of 36, Fawad Alam has finally established himself as a cornerstone of the Pakistan batting lineup in Test cricket after years of toiling on the domestic circuit. He was at his sturdy best in 2021, scoring 571 runs in 9 matches at an average of 57.10 with three centuries. His tons came in tough situations against South Africa, Zimbabwe and West Indies.”

Meanwhile, the best XI includes Kiwi captain Kane Williamson as the skipper and India’s Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper-batter. Hasan and Afridi, on the other hand, lead the fast bowling department along with New Zealand’s Kyle Jamieson.

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“Hasan Ali always delivered with the ball for Pakistan in 2021, be it as a strike bowler or when it came to holding one end up. By far his best year in the longest format, Ali scalped up 41 wickets in 9 matches at a sensational average of 16.07. He also picked up one five-wicket haul and registered best bowling figures in a match of 10/114.”

About Afridi, it added: “It was a year for remember for Shaheen Afridi, especially in the longest form of the game. Extracting brilliant movement with the new ball and reversing it with the old, Afridi picked up 47 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 17.06, including three five-wicket hauls. Still only 21, Shaheen will likely lead the Pakistan pace bowling unit for years to come and with already rapid improvements in his bowling, he will undoubtedly prove to be a fearsome prospect.”

Here is the Test Team of the Year 2021:

Dimuth Karunaratne Rohit Sharma Marnus Labushagne Kane Williamson (C) Joe Root Fawad Alam Rishab Pant (WK) Ravi Ashwin Kyle Jamieson Hasan Ali Shaheen Afridi