Rabada, Jansen and Ismail crack the nod in annual ICC Awards

Proteas fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Shabnim Ismail and all-rounder Marco Jansen have all been nominated in the 2022 ICC Awards.

While it's been a challenging year for the Proteas men and women on the field, the three South African stalwarts were recognised for their individual achievements.

Nominees for each category decided by the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Awards Panel, which comprises prominent journalists and broadcasters from across the globe.

Rabada stands head and shoulders above the rest for the Proteas, finishing the year as the joint-highest Test wicket-taker in international cricket alongside Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.

Rabada picked up 47 wickets in nine Test matches at a superb average of 22.25 and an even better strike rate of 34.1.

His best figures were five for 52 against England at Lord's, one of two five-wicket hauls in 2022.

That was good enough to see Rabada nominated for ICC Test Cricketer of the Year alongside England duo Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Australian opener Usman Khawaja.

Meanwhile, Shabnim Ismail emerged as the highest wicket-taker of the year in women's ODI cricket, taking 37 wickets in 17 matches.

Ismail is nominated for the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year award alongside Australian Alyssa Healy, New Zealander Amelia Kerr and England all-rounder Nat Sciver.

Also cracking a nomination was Marco Jansen, who is in the running for the ICC Emerging Men's Cricketer of the Year award after a stellar year with both bat and ball for the Proteas.

Jansen ended as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 36 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 19.02.

His career-high of 59 came earlier this week against Australia in the second Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Jansen is nominated alongside New Zealand's Finn Allen, Indian Arshdeep Singh and Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran.

This year, for the first time, fans can also vote for the nominees in seven of the categories via the ICC website.

The fan vote will make up 10% of the voting, while that of the Voting Academy will make up the remaining 90%.

The winners will be announced later this month.