LONDON: Pakistan paceman Shaheen Afridi was named player of the year by the International Cricket Council on Monday, with England captain Joe Root selected as the outstanding Test cricketer in 2021.
Afridi’s 78 wickets in 36 internationals across different formats secured him the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, with best bowling figures of 6-51 in a Test match against the West Indies.
He claimed 47 wickets in only nine Tests at an impressive average of 17.06 and took seven wickets in six matches during Pakistan’s run to the semifinal of the Twenty20 World Cup.
“In 2021 our team performed really well and we won some very good matches,” the 21-year-old said.
“I had many good performances including five-fors in Tests but the most memorable one for me would be the one we won against India (he took three wickets against them at the T20 World Cup),” he added.
“It was a historical match and matches with India draw a big audience.”
Root picked up the award for men’s Test player of the year after scoring 1,708 runs in 15 matches in 2021.
His tally is the third-highest total on record in a calendar year, with only former Pakistan player Mohammad Yousuf and West Indies great Viv Richards ahead of him.
Root registered two double centuries and a further four hundreds, including three in successive Tests against India during England’s home series.
“I am incredibly proud to receive this award,” said the 31-year-old, only the second Englishman to win the accolade after Alastair Cook in 2011.
“I am very humbled to be in the same breath as a number of wonderful players around the world and it means a huge amount.”
Despite Root’s personal achievements, England had a poor year in Test cricket, winning just four out of their 15 matches.
They lost the Ashes in Australia — where Root failed to score a century — and also lost series against India and New Zealand.
India’s Smriti Mandhana won the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC women’s cricketer of the year.
Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi wins ICC Cricketer of the Year award
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Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi wins ICC Cricketer of the Year award
- Afridi’s 78 wickets in 36 matches across different formats secure him Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy
- The Pakistani paceman claimed 47 wickets in only nine Tests at an impressive average of 17.06
Pakistan urges concessional finance for developing nations to boost clean energy security
- Pakistan has emerged as one of world’s fastest growing solar markets, with 12GWs of off-grid and 6GWs of net-metered capacity in 2025
- PM’s aide says Islamabad remains committed to Paris Agreement, looks for continued support in building a resilient and low-carbon future
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged international partners to scale up concessional financing for developing countries, the country’s Press Information Department (PID) said on Sunday, citing an aide to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The call was made by Sharif’s coordinator on climate change, Romina Khurshid Alam, while delivering Pakistan’s national statement at the 16th International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi.
Pakistan has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing solar markets, with 12 gigawatts (GWs) of off-grid and over 6GWs of net-metered solar capacity by the end of 2025. Last fiscal year, renewables accounted for a historic 53 percent of total electricity generation, according to Alam.
The prime minister’s aide stressed that affordable funding for developing nations is critical to accelerating their transition to clean energy and strengthening energy security amid rising climate and economic challenges.
“Alam reaffirmed Pakistan’s target of achieving 60 percent renewables in the power mix by 2030,” the PID said in a statement.
“In her call to action, she urged IRENA and Member States to increase concessional finance for developing nations, treat technologies such as energy storage and green hydrogen as global public goods, and strengthen regional cooperation for shared energy security.”
IRENA is a global intergovernmental agency for energy transformation that serves as the principal platform for international cooperation, supports countries in their energy transition, and provides state of the art data and analyzes on technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment. Its membership comprises 170 countries and the European Union (EU).
The 16th session of the IRENA Assembly is taking place on Jan. 10-12 in Abu Dhabi and focuses on the theme of “Powering Humanity: Renewable Energy for Shared Prosperity.” The session has gathered global leaders and energy decision-makers to discuss strategies and underline necessary actions for the acceleration of renewable energy across countries, regions, and the world, driving economic inclusion, equity, and human well-being.
Alam shared that Pakistan is taking action against energy poverty through initiatives like the Punjab Solar Panel Scheme 2026, which provides free or subsidized systems to low-income households.
She highlighted how distributed solar kits have restored power and livelihoods in flood-affected communities and offer a replicable model for climate-resilient recovery.
“Pakistan remains fully committed to the Paris Agreement and looks to IRENA for continued technical and financial support in building a resilient, inclusive, and low-carbon future,” Alam said.
Adopted in 2015 to combat climate change, the Paris Agreement binds nations to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.”
