Pakistan's Babar Azam named ICC cricketer of 2022

Pakistan player wins main prize for second straight year, Ben Stokes and Suryakumar Yadav also receive top awards

Pakistan's captain Babar Azam enjoyed a stellar year in all three formats, becoming the only player to breach the 2000-run mark. AFP

Pakistan dominated the ICC awards for the second straight year as captain Babar Azam was named the ICC men's cricketer of the year for 2022.

The star batsman had a stellar campaign in all three formats, becoming the only player to breach the 2000-run mark.

In all, he amassed 2,598 runs at an average of 54.12 with eight hundreds and 17 fifties in all three formats. His crowning moment on the field was taking Pakistan all the way to the final of the T20 World Cup in Australia where they put up a valiant fight before losing to Jos Buttler's England in Melbourne.

Last year, Pakistan pace ace Shaheen Afridi was named the cricketer of the year, underlining the country's strength in all formats.

Meanwhile, England Test captain Ben Stokes has been rewarded for the dramatic turnaround in his team's fortunes by being named as Test player of 2022.

Stokes' record as an all-rounder last year was impressive, scoring 870 runs and taking 26 wickets from 15 matches.

However, it was his leadership qualities that really shone through, as he helped transform the team's form, fortunes and style.

Under the 31-year-old's leadership, England won nine out of 10 Tests. It included series victories over New Zealand and South Africa at home, a win over India in the one-off postponed Test to level the series at 2-2 – England chased down 378 in the fourth innings to seal victory – and a historic 3-0 series win in Pakistan.

The team had come a long way from their previous record of just one win in 17 Tests.

Stokes had earlier been named captain of the ICC Test team of the year.

Like Stokes, Pakistan captain Babar was recognised for his exploits in white-ball cricket as he was named ODI player of the year. He scored 679 runs from nine matches at an average of 84 in 2022, including three centuries and five half-centuries, clinching the top ICC award in ODI cricket for the second year in a row.

The T20 player of the year award went to India's Suryakumar Yadav, who had a scarcely believable year. He broke numerous records, scoring 1,164 runs in 31 matches at an average of 46.56 and an incredible strike-rate of 187.43.

Yadav hit a record 68 sixes during the year, and scored two tons and nine half-centuries.