Mumbai, Dec 3: Sachin Tendulkar's performance this season has put him in line for the 2011 Laureus World Sportsman of the year award. The batting maestro and spin magician Muttiah Muralitharan are in fray for the prestigious awards, nominations of which are to be announced in early January next year.
Tendulkar earlier this year became the first man to score a double century in a one-day international when he scored an unbeaten 200 against South Africa.
The top run getter in Tests, he has also scored more runs in the longest version of the game this season and is just one century away from notching up 50 Test hundreds.
The names of the nominees are to be released in early January and 46 sporting legends will select the winner. World number 1 Tennis star Rafael Nadal, Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel and footballers like Diego Forlan, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi will also hope to become the first ever team players to win this individual Award.
The Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognise sporting achievement, are the premier honour on the international sporting calendar.
The eventual winner will then be chosen from that list of nominees by the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury, made up of 46 of the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen of all time, and will be unveiled during a televised awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Monday, February 7.
