LAHORE – Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the top Test performers of the country in the year 2021.
Left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and Pakistan opener Abid Ali have achieved the title on the back of their thrilling performances in the outgoing year, especially in the recently concluded Test series in Bangladesh.
In 2021, Afridi took 47 wickets in nine Test matches, averaging 17.06. His best is 6/51, said PCB in a statement.
Pakistan's top Test performers of the year! 🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/ppPEnHlvPb
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) December 9, 2021
Pakistani batter Abid Ali averages 49.64 in Tests and has been churning out brilliant performances since his debut in 2019. He made 695 runs in 9 Tests, including two 100s and as many fifties.
He was exceptional in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram last month, scoring 133 and 91. He built solid opening partnerships with Abdullah Shafique in both innings that laid the foundation of Pakistan’s eight-wicket victory over the Tigers.
On Wednesday, a sensational bowling performance from Pakistan saw them collect 13 Bangladesh wickets on the fifth and final day of the Dhaka Test to clean sweep the two-match series with an innings and eight runs win and bag 12 ICC World Test Championship points.
On what turned out to be a thrilling day for the lovers of Test cricket, Bangladesh, being forced to follow-on after managing a paltry 87 in reply of Pakistan’s strong 300 for four, battled to eke out a draw, but they failed one by one to answer the questions posed by the touring bowlers and were bowled out for 205.
In a befitting manner, Sajid Khan, who finished the match with 12 scalps after recording career-best eight for 42 in the first innings, snared the last wicket as he trapped Taijul Islam LBW.
