Winners of 2016 ICC awards announced; R Ashwin named the ICC Cricketer of the Year
The International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced the winners of the 2016 ICC awards. India’s R Ashwin wins the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the year award.
The awards are handed to the cricketers based on their performances in the 12-month period between 14 September 2015 and 20 September 2016. In this period, Ashwin has taken 48 Test wickets in 8 matches at an average of 15.39 and in the limited overs format, the Indian offie has picked 3 wickets in 3 matches at an average of 47.66. In the T20I format, Ashwin has scalped 25 wickets in 18 matches with an economy of 6.42.
Ashwin is also named the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year. Apart from the 48 wickets he took, he also scored 336 Test runs in 9 innings at an average of 42 in the period. South Africa’s Quinton de Kock is named the ODI Cricketer of the Year. De Kock has scored 788 runs in 15 matches at an average of 56.28. Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman has been adjudged the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the year.
England’s Alastair Cook is named the captain of the ICC Test team of the Year that features four Englishmen (Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Johny Bairstow and Cook). Apart from them, the Test team of the year features David Warner, Kane Williamson, Adam Voges, R Ashwin, Rangana Herath, Mitchell Starc and Dale Steyn. Steve Smith is named the 12th man for the ICC Test team of the Year.
India’s Virat Kohli has been named the captain of ICC ODI team of the Year. Kohli is accompanied by two Indians (Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja) in the team. The rest of the team includes Quinton de Kock, David Warner, Jos Buttler, AB de Villiers, Mitchell Marsh, Kagiso Rabada, Mitchell Starc and Sunil Narine. Imran Tahir has been named the 12th man for the ICC ODI team of the Year.
West Indies’ T20I captain Carlos Brathwaite, who smashed 4 sixes in 4 balls to win the 2016 World T20 wins the T20I performance of the year while Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad wins the ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year award.
Pakistan’s Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq receives the ICC spirit of cricket award while South African umpire Marais Erasmus has been given the David Shepherd trophy after being adjudged the ICC umpire of the year. “ As a team, we have focused on playing within the rich traditions of the sport with a positive mindset and approach, said Misbah after winning the spirit of cricket award.
Erasmus was jubilant and was honoured to win the David Shepherd trophy. He said, “Shepherd has been one of the role models for many aspiring umpires. To win the trophy named after him is something to be proud of. I thank the match referees and the Test captains for voting me as the ICC Umpire of the Year 2016, but the fact is without the support, help and encouragement of my Playing Control Teams, this would not have been possible. As such, it is appropriate that I win this on behalf of all my fellow match officials.”
For the first time in history, ICC have announced the ICC Women's Team of the Year, ICC Women’s ODI player of the year and Women’s T20I player of the year awards. New Zealand’s Suzie Bates won both the ICC Women’s ODI and T20I Player of the Year awards and became the first women’s cricketer to do so. West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor leads the ICC Women’s Team of the Year that features India’s Smriti Mandhana.
The list of awards is as follows.
· Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year- R Ashwin
· ICC Test Cricketer of the Year- R Ashwin
· ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year- Suzie Bates
· ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year- Quinton de Kock
· ICC Men's Twenty20 International Performance of the Year- Carlos Brathwaite
· ICC Women's Twenty20 International Cricketer of the Year- Suzie Bates
· ICC Spirit of Cricket Award- Misbah-ul-Haq
· David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year- Marais Erasmus
· ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year- Mustafizur Rahman
· ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year- Mohammad Shahzad