DUBAI: India’s Ravichandran Ashwin was named ICC cricketer of the year on Thursday, topping off a sensational period in which he has dominated the Test bowling rankings.

The spin-bowling all-rounder, who starred in India’s 4-0 Test series victory over England, was also named Test cricketer of the year for the voting period, which covered the 12 months to Sept 20.

He becomes only the third Indian player to win the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, following in the footsteps of batting greats Sachin Tendulkar (2010) and Rahul Dravid (2004).

Misbah wins Spirit of Cricket Award

Jacques Kallis (2005), Ricky Ponting (2006), Kumar Sangakkara (2012), Michael Clarke (2013), Mitchell Johnson (2014) and Steve Smith (2015) are the other players to win both in the same year.

“It feels great to follow the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in being named as the ICC cricketer of the year,” Ashwin, 30, said in a statement. “To also win the ICC Test cricketer of the year makes it even better.”

During the voting period which went from Sept 14, 2015 to Sept 20, 2016, Ashwin took 48 wickets and scored 336 runs in eight Tests. He also snared 27 Twenty20 International wickets.

The Chennai native consolidated top spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test bowling charts after he took a series-leading 28 wickets in the five games against England, which wrapped up this week.

Quinton de Kock, South Africa’s wicket-keeper/batsman, was named One-day International cricketer of the year after he scored 793 runs in 16 50-over games.

And the West Indies’ Carlos Brathwaite won international Twenty20 performance of the year for his 10-ball 34 not out, including four sixes off the first four balls in the final over delivered by Ben Stokes, to clinch a stunning victory over England in the World Twenty20 final.

Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq won the Spirit of Cricket Award, while South Africa’s Marais Erasmus was adjudged Umpire of the Year.

The 42-year-old Misbah was adjudged the winner for inspiring his side to play the game in its true spirit, at the same time lifting the Pakistan cricket team from number-four to number-one on the ICC Test Team Rankings. Remarkably, this was achieved without playing any Test matches in his home country.

Misbah is the first Pakistan player to win the award with the previous winners being Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2011), Daniel Vettori (2012), Mahela Jayawardene (2013), Katherine Brunt (2014) and Brendon McCullum (2015).

New Zealand also won this award in 2004, 2009 and 2010, England in 2005 and 2006, and Sri Lanka in 2007 and 2008.

Commenting on the news, Misbah said: “I feel honoured and humbled to have won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award. To lift the Test mace earlier this year and now this in the twilight of my career, is a message for every athlete that age is not a barrier as long as the sportsperson maintains highest fitness levels and continues to perform up to international standards.

“As a team, we have focused on playing within the rich traditions of the sport with a positive mindset and approach so that we can entertain the spectators and fans, and at the same time, challenge the oppositions. I am glad that this has been noticed and recognised by the game’s governing body.”

Four England players made the ICC Test team of the year, captained by Alastair Cook, with their recent drawn series in Bangladesh and 4-0 loss in India falling outside the voting period.

India Test captain Virat Kohli was named as captain of the ODI Team of the Year but failed to get a place in the Test side.

ICC award winners:

Cricketer of the Year (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy) – Ravichandran Ashwin (India).

Test Cricketer of the Year – Ravichandran Ashwin (India).

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Quinton de Kock (South Africa).

Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year – Suzie Bates (New Zealand).

Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year – Suzie Bates (New Zealand).

T20I Performance of the Year – Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies).

Emerging Cricketer of the Year – Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh).

Associate/Affiliate Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Shahzad (Afghanistan).

Spirit of Cricket Award – Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan).

Umpire of the Year (David Shepherd Trophy) – Marais Erasmus.

Test team of the year: David Warner (Australia); Alastair Cook (England, captain); Kane Williamson (New Zealand); Joe Root (England); Adam Voges (Australia), Jonny Bairstow (England), Ben Stokes (England), Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Steve Smith (Australia), 12th man.

ODI team of the year:

David Warner (Australia), 2. Quinton de Kock (South Africa), Rohit Sharma (India), Virat Kohli (India, captain), A.B. de Villiers (South Africa), 6. Jos Buttler (England), Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Ravindra Jadeja (India), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Sunil Narine (West Indies), Imran Tahir (South Africa), 12th man.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2016