King Kohli dominates ICC global awards

Published January 19, 2018
HASAN Ali.—Reuters
HASAN Ali.—Reuters

DUBAI: India skipper Virat Kohli has dominated the global awards, winning the cricketer of the year and One-day International cricketer of year awards and voted captain of Test team of the year.

Voters included members of the media, commentators and former players from the 12 Test-playing countries. They evaluated players’ performances during the period of Sept 21, 2016 to Dec 31, 2017.

Kohli is just the fourth Indian to win the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, following in the footsteps of batting greats Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Rahul Dravid (2004) and team-mate Ravichandran Ashwin (2016).

“It is a huge honour for me that it’s the first time winning the Garfield Sobers Trophy as it is probably the biggest award we have in world cricket,” Kohli said in a statement issued by the International Cricket Council on Thursday.

“Job satisfaction on the field is paramount, but international recognition by the ICC is something that every player feels privileged as it is at a global level and is something that is very special to all the cricketers because you are competing against the best international cricketers across the globe.”

Pakistan’s Hasan Ali wins emerging player prize

Pakistan’s young fast bowler Hasan Ali was voted as emerging cricketer of the year after bagging 48 wickets in 21 ODIs and 16 more in 11 Twenty20 Internationals during the voting period.

“This acknowledgement will not only inspire me to do even better in the coming seasons but will also convince the next generation of cricketers that hard work and good performances can never go unnoticed,” the 23-year-old Hasan said.

Pakistan’s come from behind victory in last year’s Champions Trophy was voted by the fans around the world as inaugural winners of the ICC fans moment of the year.

Pakistan stunned India in the final of eight-team competition in which they were seeded eighth before the tournament in England.

Kohli — also crowned the world’s best one-day batsman, winning that title for the second time since 2012 — had been in terrific form during the voting period, scoring 2,023 runs in 18 Tests with eight centuries and three half centuries; 1,818 runs in 31 One-day Internationals with seven centuries and 299 runs at a strike rate of 152.55 in 10 Twenty20 Internationals.

Steve Smith was second in cricketer of year award voting, but the Australian captain was adjudged Test cricketer of the year.

The 28-year-old Smith scored 1,875 runs in 16 test matches with eight centuries and five half centuries to outvote his Indian counterpart.

“I was pleased with the way I played but what pleased me most of all was that I helped us win Tests and, most importantly, The Ashes,” Smith said. “To make a contribution in big matches and in big series and assist the team is what it is all about for me, and if I’m doing that then there’s a good chance that awards like this will follow.”

The Australians have taken home the award in four of the last five years, with Mitchell Johnson winning in 2014 and Michael Clarke in 2013.

Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan won the associate cricketer of the year award for his 23 wickets in three four-day matches of ICC Intercontinental Cup.

The 18-year-old Rashid was the leading ODI wicket-taker during the voting period with 50 wickets in 19 matches and further 23 wickets in 13 Twenty20 Internationals.

“I’m really honoured and happy to be named as the ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year. 2017 was a good year for me and I have lots of memories from last year, which are going to stay with me for a very long time,” he said.

Indian leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal won international Twenty20 performance of the year for his incredible haul of 6-25 against England at Bangalore last February while Marais Erasmus was awarded the ICC umpire of the year award for the second successive time.

ICC awards:

Test team of the year: Dean Elgar, David Warner, Virat Kohli (captain), Steven Smith, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ben Stokes, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada, James Anderson.

ODI team of the year: David Warner, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (captain), Babar Azam, A.B. de Villiers, Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper), Ben Stokes, Trent Boult, Hasan Ali, Rashid Khan, Jasprit Bumrah.

ICC Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (India).

Test Cricketer of the Year: Steve Smith (Australia).

ODI Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (India).

Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Hasan Ali (Pakistan).

Associate Cricketer of the Year: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan).

T20I Performance of the Year: Yuzvendra Chahal (India) — 6-25 vs England.

ICC Umpire of the Year: Marais Erasmus.

ICC Spirit of Cricket: Anya Shrubsole (England).

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