Pakistan cricket team in the Calendar Year 2021

 

Pakistan overall had a successful 2021 year in cricket. In 27 Twenty20 Internationals they won twenty matches, in 9 test matches they won 7 matches and only in ODI's they had a terrible year as they won just 2 ODI's out of 6 matches. In ODI cricket the dismal record of Pakistan cricket team is due to the horrible tour of England where they won just one Twenty20 match against England and were whitewashed 3-0 by a second string England side in the ODI series.

Pakistan had a terrible start to 2021 when they lost to New Zealand in the second test match of the series on the tour to New Zealand. But then in the home series PCB made changes by bringing in Babar Azam as captain of the test team and making Mohammad Wasim as chief selector.in place of Misbah ul Haq. The changes proved vital to the Pakistan cricket team as they defeated South Africa for the first time since 2003 in a test series 2-0 at home.  They went onto win 2-0 in Zimbabwe, drew 1-1 with West Indies and defeat Bangladesh in Bangladesh 2-0.

Pakistan had a disappointing year in ODI's in 2021 just because of their tour of England. Pakistan defeated South Africa in the ODI series played in South Africa 2-1 but on the tour of England Pakistan were clean swept by a second string England cricket team. On paper Pakistan were favourites to beat a second string England side missing several star players but the opposite happened and Pakistan unexpectedly were beaten badly.

Pakistan had a stellar year in Twenty20 cricket, winning a record 20 matches in a calendar year. In the twenty20 World Cup Pakistan defeated tough teams such as arch rivals India and New Zealand before losing heartbreakingly so to eventual champions Australia in the Semi Finals. Muhammad Rizwan played a vital role in Pakistan's success in Twenty20 cricket as he scored a world record runs tally in a Calendar year. The Babar Azam-Muhammad Rizwan opening pair four times reached the partnership of 150 plus runs.

Overall I will count 2021 as one of the best year in Pakistan cricket history performance wise. In 2021 Pakistan cricket team proved itself to be a force to be reckoned with in cricket.