Sports Desk
Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) today revealed nominations for the PCB Awards 2020. Captain Babar Azam, T20I specialist Mohammad Hafeez and fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi have been short-listed in three categories each.
The short-lists for 12 categories, including 10 individual categories, have been finalized by an independent panel comprising highly respected and distinguished cricket personalities. The winners will be announced on the PCB digital Platforms on Friday, 1 January 2020. On the other hand, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah and Shan Masood have been nominated in two categories each.
Both Babar and Shaheen feature in the White-Ball Cricketer of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories, while Hafeez has been short-listed in the Individual Performance of the Year, White-Ball Cricketer of the Year and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories.
Haris Rauf has made his way to the Men’s Emerging International Cricketer and White-Ball Cricketer of the Year categories and Rizwan has been included in the Test and Most Valuable Cricketer of the Year categories.
Naseem is contending for the Men’s Emerging International and Individual Performance of the Year categories, while Shan competes for the Individual Performance and Test Cricketer of the Year categories.
Fawad Alam has been shortlisted in the individual performance of the year for his hundred against New Zealand in the first Test at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui
Apart from Fawad, Hafeez (86 not out, 52b, 4×4, 6×6 v England 3rd T20I), Naseem (four for 26, including a hat-trick, v Bangladesh, only Test), Shan (156 v England, 1st Test) have been shortlisted as well.
“In short-listing the nominees, the independent jury did not limit itself to just player performances, but also took into account various other factors, such as the opponent, impact, value and contribution of the players in the matches and/or during the period under consideration,” PCB said in its press release.
The four nominees for the Domestic Cricketer of the Year are Hasan Ali, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel and Zahid Mahmood. Mohammad Huraira, Mubasir Khan, Rohail Nazir and Qasim Akram have been short-listed in the Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year category. There are two women’s individual award categories despite limited cricket. For the Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year, Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Najiha Alvi and Syeda Aroob Shah have been short-listed, while Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Javeria Khan and Muneeba Ali have been nominated for the Women’s Cricketer of the Year award.
Spirit of Cricket Award and Corporate Achievement of the Year nomination were also decided by the independent jury, whereas the four umpires shortlisted on the recommendation of the match referees and six First XI Cricket Association captains are Ahsan Raza, Asif Yaqoob, Ghaffar Kazmi and Shozab Raza.