Explaining the merit behind the ICC Awards for 2015
The winners of the ICC Awards for 2015 have been announced with individuals getting awarded across 10 different categories. The judgement is based on performances during the voting period which began on 18 September 2014 and ended on 13 September 2015.Although it must have been a tough ask to pick the best from among so many incredible performers, the voting panel has perhaps managed to choose the most deserving candidates. All the winners have done exceedingly well in the time period considering which the decision has been made.Here is our breakdown of the ICC Awards as we look to explain the merit behind them:
#1 ICC Cricketer of the Year - Steve Smith (Australia)
Australian skipper Steve Smith bagged the prestigious ICC Cricketer of the Year award for 2015 and this makes him the fourth player from his country to do so. Smith has been in stupendous form with the bat in the past couple of years or so and has performed brilliantly in both Tests as well as ODIs.
During the voting period, the prolific Aussie scored 1,734 runs in Tests and 1,249 runs in ODIs at averages of 82.57 and 59.47 respectively. This included 7 centuries in Tests and 4 in ODIs.
Steve Smith also led the Australian team successfully in three Tests of the 2014/15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in the absence of regular skipper Michael Clarke. Post Clarke’s retirement in August 2015, Smith was appointed as full-time captain of his national side.
He was also part of Australia’s ICC World Cup winning campaign this year and ended up being his team’s leading run scorer with 402 runs in the tournament. All these factors played their part in helping Steve Smith become the ICC Cricketer of the Year.