Dubai, Dec 29 (NationPress) Indian fast bowler Arshdeep Singh has received recognition with a nomination for the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year after a remarkable season with the Blue Brigade, highlighted by their triumph in the T20 World Cup held in Barbados.

Arshdeep is in contention against Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza, Australia's Travis Head, and the former captain of Pakistan, Babar Azam, for this prestigious annual award in the shortest format of the game.

The limited appearances of Jasprit Bumrah in T20Is have paved the way for Arshdeep to shine as India’s leading pace bowler in this format. He bagged 36 wickets in just 18 matches during 2022, narrowly missing out on Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s tally of 37 wickets but doing so in significantly fewer games.

Stepping into the role of a left-arm pacer, Arshdeep consistently delivered game-changing performances in various conditions, playing a pivotal role in India's T20 World Cup success. His most memorable moment came in the final, where he dismissed Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock before executing a tight 19th over that helped secure the second T20 title for the team led by Rohit Sharma.

Sikandar Raza continues to impress for Zimbabwe, receiving a nomination for the third consecutive year. The 39-year-old all-rounder led his team to an unbeaten streak in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup sub-regional Africa Qualifier Group B, amassing 199 runs and taking 10 wickets.

His standout performance was against India, where he achieved figures of 3/25 on a challenging pitch, securing a 13-run victory by dismantling critical partnerships.

Babar Azam emerged as Pakistan’s top T20I run-scorer in 2023 with six fifties and a strike rate of 133.21. He is on the verge of overtaking Rohit Sharma as the all-time leading T20I scorer. His most notable innings was a 75 off 42 balls against Ireland, which propelled Pakistan to a series-clinching win.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Travis Head showcased his adaptability in 2024, accumulating 539 T20I runs at an impressive strike rate of 178.47. He secured the position of the third-highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup with 255 runs.

His explosive performance of 59 off 23 balls during the Powerplay against England was instrumental in Australia achieving a decisive victory in Southampton. Although Australia exited the World Cup early, Head’s consistent contributions established him as a formidable T20I batsman.