Twitter erupts as Virat Kohli bags top 3 ICC Awards of 2018
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the men's yearly cricket awards. The Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who had a fantastic run with the bat in 2018, bagged the three coveted awards - ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year, ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year, and ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year.
The 30-year-old broke quite a few records in 2018. In the longest format, Kohli amassed 1,322 runs at an average of 55.08 with five centuries in 13 matches. He also scored 1,202 runs in 14 ODIs at an incredible average of 133.55 with six centuries to his name.
After winning the awards, the Delhi batsman said that "It feels amazing. It’s a reward for all the hard work that you do throughout the calendar year. I feel really grateful and very, very happy with the team doing well at the same time myself performing. Having recognition at the global level from the ICC is something you feel proud of as a cricketer because you understand that there are many players playing the game."
During his conversation with the icc-cricket.com, the stylish right-handed batsman said that the awards are a source of extra motivation. “To be rewarded in this manner from amongst all of them is obviously a very proud moment for me and something that gives you more motivation to keep repeating the same things because you have to keep the standard of cricket up and keep bringing in consistent performances. From that point of view, these awards give you that extra motivation.”
In addition to bagging the three most prestigious awards to be won by a cricketer, he was also named the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year and the ICC Test Team of the Year.
While Virat Kohli bagged the three major awards for 2018, India's Rishabh Pant won the ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year and he also made it to the ICC Test Team of the Year.
The two other cricketers to win ICC awards were Kane Williamson (New Zealand, ICC Spirit of Cricket Award) and Calum MacLeod (Scotland, ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year).
ICC ODI Team of the Year:
Rohit Sharma(Ind), Jonny Bairstow(Eng), Virat Kohli(Ind, C), Joe Root(Eng), Ross Taylor(NZ), Jos Buttler(Eng, WK), Ben Stokes(Eng), Mustafizur Rahman(Ban), Rashid Khan(Afg), Kuldeep Yadav(Ind), Jasprit Bumrah(Ind).
ICC Test Team of the Year:
Tom Latham(NZ), Dimuth Karunaratne(SL), Kane Williamson(NZ), Virat Kohli(Ind, C), Henry Nicholls(NZ), Rishabh Pant(Ind), Jason Holder(WI), Kagiso Rabada(SA), Nathan Lyon(Aus), Jasprit Bumrah(Ind), Mohammad Abbas(Pak)
Emerging Player of the Year: Rishabh Pant(India)
ICC Spirit of Cricket Award: Kane Williamson(New Zealand)
ICC Associate Cricketer of the Year: Calum MacLeod
ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (India)
ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (India)
ICC Test Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (India)
Here's how Twitter reacted to ICC's announcement of the ICC Men's Cricket Awards for 2018: