The International Cricket Council (ICC)'s nominations for the T20I cricketer of the year 2024 has left a bad taste among a section of fans on social media. With Jasprit Bumrah missing out on the nomination but Babar Azam among the list, netizens hilariously called out newly-elected ICC President Jay Shah.
Bumrah, the Indian pace spearhead, played a pivotal role in India's T20 World Cup victory this year, finishing as the third-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, bowling game-changing spells in almost every match. The right-arm speedster finished the competition with 15 scalps in eight matches, averaging an outstanding 8.26, including figures of 4-0-18-2.
By contrast, Babar had a disappointing tournament, managing 122 runs in four matches at 40.66 alongside a mediocre strike rate of 101.66. The right-hander has also managed only 738 runs in 24 T20Is in 2024 at 33.54.
Here's how netizens have reacted to the development from the ICC:
Arshdeep Singh, Travis Head and Sikandar Raza are the other nominees
The only Indian to have made in the nominations list is Arshdeep Singh, who played as much a pivotal role as Bumrah in India's T20 World Cup victory. The 25-year-old left-arm seamer is in contention to become the highest T20I wicket-taker among the full-member nations with 36 wickets in 18 matches.
However, Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga remains the frontrunner to take over Arshdeep as the leading wicket-taker in the shortest format as he is also on 36. Hasaranga could do it in the second T20I against New Zealand on Monday.
