Cummins and Sciver-Brunt have been announced as the ICC Cricketers of the Year

In the latest ICC awards, Virat Kohli secured the men’s ODI cricketer of the year, and Suryakumar Yadav claimed the men’s T20I honor. The Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year was proudly lifted by Pat Cummins, credited for leading Australia to victory in the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup, as well as contributing to the team’s successful Ashes defense. Cummins faced tough competition from teammates Travis Head, as well as India’s Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, ultimately securing the top accolade.

Cummins showcased his exceptional skills throughout the year, excelling with both bat and ball. He emerged as the second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 42 dismissals, concluding the year with a remarkable second ten-for in Tests. His unbeaten 44 in the first Ashes Test played a pivotal role in Australia securing a two-wicket victory.

Nat Sciver-Brunt, the versatile England all-rounder, clinched the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Award for the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year for the second consecutive time. Her stellar performances across formats, including a standout performance in the women’s Ashes, set her apart. Sciver-Brunt faced tough competition from Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka, as well as Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney, ultimately earning her the prestigious award.

Kohli and Athapaththu awarded ODI Cricketers of the Year

Virat Kohli reclaimed his title as the men’s ODI cricketer of the year, showcasing a remarkable comeback in 2023. His outstanding performance included scoring 1377 runs in ODIs, with an impressive 765 runs in the World Cup alone. Setting a record as the highest run-scorer in a men’s World Cup, Kohli consistently crossed the fifty-run mark in nine out of the 11 innings, concluding the competition with an average of 95.62 and a strike rate of 90.31. In the process, he became the first player to achieve fifty ODI hundreds.

On the other hand, Chamari Athapaththu played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s historic bilateral win over New Zealand in ODIs. Leading with the bat, she secured two centuries during successful chases in the three-match series. In the final game, with Sri Lanka at 4 for 2 in the first four overs and chasing 196, Athapaththu displayed her prowess by crafting an unbeaten 140. Her aggressive approach led to a swift 31-ball fifty and a 60-ball century, setting the record for the fastest century for Sri Lanka in women’s ODIs.

Suryakumar Yadav awarded the title of men’s T20I cricketer of the year

Suryakumar Yadav secured the men’s T20I cricketer of the year award for the second consecutive year after an outstanding 2023, where he emerged as the top run-scorer in T20Is among Full Member nations. Besting competitors Sikandar Raza, Alpesh Ramjani, and Mark Chapman, Suryakumar showcased remarkable performances throughout the year.

His journey began with a modest score of 7 against Sri Lanka, but he swiftly bounced back with innings of 51 (36) and an unbeaten 112 (51) in the subsequent matches. Suryakumar’s prowess in the middle-order continued to shine as he played 17 T20I innings in 2023, accumulating 733 runs at an impressive average of 48.86, featuring five half-centuries and two centuries. Notably, he maintained a striking strike rate of 155.95 amidst the fierce competition.

The 31-year-old capped off the year on a high note, delivering a spectacular 56-ball century against South Africa. With Rohit Sharma opting out and Hardik Pandya sidelined due to injury, Suryakumar took on the captaincy of the Indian T20I side. Leading by example, he guided India to a 4-1 series victory against Australia at home and secured a 1-1 draw in a three-match series against South Africa.

Khawaja named Test cricketer of the year, while Ravindra and Litchfield recognized as emerging players of the year

Usman Khawaja outshined competitors Travis Head, R Ashwin, and Joe Root to secure the prestigious Test cricketer of the year title. His exceptional performance in 2023 included being the sole batter to surpass 1000 runs, accumulating a total of 1210 in 13 Tests. Notably, Khawaja achieved a career-best score of 195 not out against South Africa. Demonstrating resilience in spin-friendly conditions during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in India, he topped the charts with 333 runs, featuring a century and two fifties in four games. Additionally, Khawaja claimed the title of leading run-scorer in the Ashes with a total of 496 runs.

Rachin Ravindra had a breakthrough year, shining brightly in the 2023 ODI World Cup and earning him the men’s emerging player of the year award. Overcoming competition from Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s success. In 25 ODIs, he scored 820 runs at an impressive average of 41.00, also contributing with 18 wickets at 46.61. His sensational batting opening for New Zealand resulted in an impressive 578 runs in ten innings at an average of 64.22.

Phoebe Litchfield, the Australian cricketer, was honored with the women’s emerging player of the year award.

Hayley Matthews achieved the title of women’s T20I cricketer of the year

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews wrapped up a remarkable year by securing the women’s T20I cricketer of the year accolade, triumphing over tough competition from Ellyse Perry of Australia, England’s Sophie Ecclestone, and Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka.

Matthews emerged as the leading run-scorer, amassing an impressive 700 runs in 14 innings at an outstanding average of 63.63. Additionally, she showcased her bowling prowess by taking 19 wickets at an average of 16.21. Notably, Matthews had a standout performance during the October 2023 tour of Australia, concluding the three-match T20I series with scores of 99*, 132, and 79. Her total of 310 runs in the series is the highest by any player in a women’s T20I bilateral series.

This achievement marks Matthews as the second West Indies player to claim the award, following in the footsteps of Stafanie Taylor in 2015.

De Leede secures the title of men’s associate cricketer of the year

Bas de Leede, a crucial contributor to the Netherlands’ qualification for the main draw of the 2023 ODI World Cup, has been honored as the men’s associate cricketer of the year. The versatile all-rounder closed the year with notable stats, claiming 31 wickets in 16 ODIs at an average of 28.26 and scoring 424 runs at the same average, including one fifty and one hundred.

One of the standout performances of the year was de Leede’s 5 for 52 against Scotland in a World Cup qualifier, followed by a remarkable 92-ball 123 that nearly single-handedly propelled Netherlands into the final.

In the women’s category, Kenyan all-rounder Queentor Abel secured the title of women’s associate cricketer of the year. Abel’s impressive stats for 2023 included scoring 476 runs in 17 T20Is at an average of 34.00, with a top score of 109 against Lesotho. She also showcased her bowling prowess with 30 wickets at an average of 7.36 and an economy of 3.81.

For the teams of the year, India dominated the ODI team, led by captain Rohit Sharma, while Australia took the spotlight in the ICC’s Test team of the year, with Pat Cummins as the captain. Chamari Athapaththu led the women’s ODI team of the year, with Australia having a significant presence. Athapaththu was also named captain of the women’s T20I team of the year.