Arshdeep Singh named ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year

Team India leftarm pacer Arshdeep Singh was crowned the ICC Mens T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 following his heroics in the national sides T20 World Cup triumphArshdeep Singh claimed a total of 36 wickets in 18 matches last yearArshdeep Singh was also named in the ICC Mens T20I team of the Year 2024 alongside skipper Rohit Sharma Jasorit Bumrah and Hardik PandyaIn the T20 World Cup in the Americas Arshdeep showcased his mastery in both powerplay and death bowling and ended the tournament as the jointhighest wickettaker alongside Afghanistans Fazalhaq Farooqi with 17 scalps at an average of 1264 across eight matchesHis standout performance was one of the major factors behind Indias campaign culminating in a dramatic sevenrun victory over South Africa in the final in BarbadosIn the final he claimed 220 dismissing South African captain Aiden Markram early and breaking a threatening partnership by removing Quinton de Kock during the middle oversTasked with bowling the penultimate over Arshdeep conceded just four runs setting the stage for Hardik Pandya to seal the winAlso ReadRohit Sharma named skipper of ICC mens T20I team of the year dominated by Indian playersArshdeeps T20I record in 2024 further underscores his dominance 36 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 1531 and an economy rate of 749His strike rate of 1080 was a testament to his wickettaking prowess especially given his challenging role in the powerplay and at the deathOnly four players in the world have managed to register more wickets than Arshdeep Singh in a calendar year namely Saudi Arabias Usman Najeeb 38 Sri Lankas Wanindu Hasaranga 38 UAEs Junaid Siddique 40 and Hong Kongs Ehsan Khan 46Arshdeep Singhs best bowling figures in 2024 are four wickets for nine runs which came against the USA during the World Cup group stage matchesWith 97 scalps Arshdeep is now the highest wickettaker in the format for IndiaSince his international debut in 2022 Arshdeep has steadily risen as one of Indias most reliable pacersArshdeep Singh had a number of impressive displays in the year not least when he ripped through the USA in New York during the T20 World Cup group stage bagging remarkable returns of 49 in his four oversBut Arshdeeps most significant performance of the year came on the biggest stage of all as he played a huge part in helping India successfully defend their total of 176 in the final in BarbadosExcellent with the new ball up top Arshdeep struck in the powerplay to have the dangerous South African skipper Markram caught behind in just the third overAnd when India were in need of a wicket in the middle overs it was Arshdeep that provided the breakthrough dismissing a set Quinton de Kock when the Proteas looked to be in control of the chaseIndias collective effort at the death was astonishing as South Africa pulled up seven runs short of their target and Arshdeep played a huge role in that returning to the attack to bowl the penultimate over with South Africa requiring 20 from 12 deliveriesArshdeep delivered a nearperfect death over under the greatest pressure conceding just four runs to leave Pandya with 16 runs to defend in the final over a job that he spectacularly didWith PTI Inputs