"Looking at the nominees, it's a great achievement to have even been nominated and to win it is something I will never forget," Southee, who could not make it to the awards function, said. "Looking back at the game which has won me the award, it was Boxing Day in a full house at Eden Park and it was a big game for us as we'd been going through a rough patch of losing, something like 12 or 13 games on the trot and it was our first win in a long time. It was great to be able to contribute to that win and also put in a great performance."

Southee ripped the heart out of Pakistan's batting line-up in Auckland, after they had cruised to an imposing 58 for 1 in 5.5 overs. Southee then struck five times in nine balls, including a hat-trick that accounted for Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal, to put his side on course for a win.

Southee's effort was adjudged the best in the voting period, from August 11, 2010 to August 3, 2011. It was chosen ahead of Tim Bresnan's 4 for 3 against Pakistan in Cardiff in September 2010, JP Duminy's 96 not out off 54 balls against Zimbabwe in Kimberley in October 2010 and Shane Watson's 59 runs off 31 balls against England in Adelaide in January 2011.