Suryakumar Yadav wins second successive ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer award

India’s explosive batter Suryakumar Yadav has won his second successive ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award, with West Indies’ dynamic all-round captain Hayley Matthews claiming the ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year as the first set of individual winners of the ICC Awards 2023 were announced on January 24.

New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra (ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year), Australia opener Phoebe Litchfield (ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year), Netherlands all-rounder Bas de Leede (ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year) and Kenya captain Queentor Abel (ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year) were the others celebrated on the first of two days dedicated to individual winners in the ICC Awards.

Seven more awardees will be announced on Thursday based on their international performances and overall achievements during the last calendar year.

All 13 award winners were crowned following a voting period which combined votes from the ICC Voting Academy and global fans.

T20I CRICKETERS OF THE YEAR

Yadav, who maintained his position atop the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings throughout the year, ended 2023 as the leading runscorer in the format with 733 from 18 matches at a strike rate of 155.95, and sees him win the award for the second year running.

Among a host of highlights during the calendar year, the 33-year-old batter from Mumbai smashed a belligerent 112 not out off 51 balls against Sri Lanka in Rajkot early in 2023 and finished with 100 off 56 deliveries against South Africa in Johannesburg while also notching five half-centuries.

Yadav, who brushed off competition from New Zealand’s Mark Chapman, Uganda’s Alpesh Ramjani and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, said he was elated at winning the award again.

Suryakumar Yadav: ““I am thrilled to win the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award for a second time. Winning back-to-back awards for my performances in this format is something I could only dream about when I made my international debut. I have put my heart and soul into playing for my country and to see my efforts rewarded with such a prestigious honour is very humbling.

“Congratulations are due to my fellow nominees on their excellent performances in 2023.

“I’d like to thank my teammates and support staff for giving me the platform to succeed, and I want to also extend my gratitude to fans and voters worldwide for allowing me to celebrate this accolade.

“I hope that I can continue this success alongside my teammates for what will be a huge year of T20I cricket ahead, with the Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies just around the corner.”

West Indies’ skipper Matthews also topped the runscoring charts for the year, registering 700 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 132.32. She celebrated scores of 99 not out, 132 and 79 while also taking five wickets with her off spin bowling in a T20I series in Australia that saw her win Player of the Match awards in all three T20Is against the world champions.

Significantly, she had a run of eight consecutive Player of the Match awards, having also won all three in a preceding series in Ireland and two in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup matchups in South Africa against Ireland and Pakistan.

The formerly top-ranked all-rounder in the format, who had close competition from Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu (470 runs and eight wickets) with Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry and England spinner Sophie Ecclestone the others in the running, described the moment as “special”, having always hoped to emulate her idols.

Hayley Matthews: “I’ve been pretty blessed to have a good year wearing the West Indies colours, performing really well and helping the team.

“This is one of those awards that I’m going to cherish forever and knowing that it can make our West Indies fans home in the Caribbean and around the world happy is what motivates me to go out there and do my best”.

EMERGING CRICKETERS OF THE YEAR

New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra was a standout performer in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and played an important role in his team reaching the semi finals once again. His aggregate of 578 runs was the most by anyone playing in their first World Cup and he also took six wickets with his left arm spin bowling.

The left-hander accumulated 820 runs from 25 ODIs during the year at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 108.03 with three centuries and three fifties. He finished with 18 wickets.

Ravindra also scored 91 runs and took five wickets in 12 T20Is during the year, edging out India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, and fast bowlers Dilshan Madhushanka of Sri Lanka and Gerald Coetzee of South Africa.

Rachin Ravindra: “It’s obviously a very special feeling. Whenever you are recognized by the ICC for something, it’s always special. Reflecting back, it has been a pretty whirlwind last year or so.

“Having the opportunity to play so much cricket in so many different environments has been really special. Congratulations to all the fellow nominees, all of whom had an incredible year and performed brilliantly.

Phoebe Litchfield had an impressive first year in ODI cricket, amassing 485 runs in 13 matches at an average of 53.88 and a strike rate of 81.92. Among a litany of fine knocks, she hit 106 not out against Ireland and two unbeaten half-centuries against Pakistan.

The left-hander also scored 87 runs in two Tests and 88 in three T20Is, helping her claim the award ahead of seam bowlers Marufa Akter of Bangladesh (20 wickets), Lauren Bell of England (22 wickets), and all-rounder Darcey Carter of Scotland (255 runs and 16 wickets).

Phoebe Litchfield: “I’m thrilled to be named the ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year. It’s an honour to be nominated alongside incredible cricketers and I’d like to extend my congratulations to all award nominees.

“It’s been a massive year for women’s cricket and the standard of all teams continues to rise, which is exciting for the future of our sport. Multi-format series away from home against England and India were massive challenges for our group but we relished the opportunity.

“From a personal perspective it's also been pleasing I’ve been able to put in some consistent performances and contribute to team success over the past 12 months.

“Thank you to everyone who voted in the awards, it’s been a memorable year and I’m excited for what’s to come.”

ASSOCIATE CRICKETERS OF THE YEAR

Bas de Leede of the Netherlands is named the Associate Cricketer of the Year following a year of dazzling all-round brilliance. The 24-year-old accumulated 424 runs at an average of 28.26 and a strike rate of 88.14 while finishing with 31 wickets at an average of 26.41 and an economy rate of 6.51.

Arguably De Leede’s highlight of the year came as the Netherlands secured qualification to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at the hugely competitive Qualifier back in July. The 24-year-old produced a career-defining performance, hitting 123 before his haul of five for 52 swept aside Scotland amid jubilant scenes.

He carried on the good work in CWC23 itself, finishing with 16 wickets in eight matches with a best of four for 62 against Pakistan.

Bas de Leede: “It feels awesome winning the award. It is good to get a little bit of recognition. I am accepting the award, but I think most of the Dutch players would have been in contention. It is a cool way to finish a great year for the Netherlands.

“Looking at my performances, it is probably the best I have played for Holland, which I am very thankful for. Looking at what we achieved this year, I am happy to have put in some performances to make that happen.”

Queentor Abel of Kenya is crowned the ICC Associate Women’s Cricketer of the Year following a consistent 12-month period in international colours. The all-rounder scored 476 runs from 17 T20Is at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 106.72 in 2023, and recorded her highest score of 109 from 52 balls against Lesotho along with three other half-centuries.

Her off-spin bowling was a reliable weapon for Kenya, with which she dismissed 30 batters at a startling average of 7.36 and an economy rate of 3.81. She had impressive figures of four for seven against Botswana and five for five against Cameroon in the Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Division II Qualifier.

Queentor Abel: “Winning the ICC Women's Associate Cricketer of the Year is a profound honor, representing the culmination of relentless dedication to the sport. This recognition is not only a personal triumph but a testament to the collective efforts of my teammates, coaches, Pirates Cricket Club and not forgetting my fans out there.

“This accolade fuels my passion for the game and reinforces the positive strides made in promoting women's cricket globally. As a recipient, I feel a responsibility to inspire aspiring players and contribute to the continued growth of women's cricket.

“The acknowledgment from the ICC amplifies the visibility of Associate cricket and emphasizes the broader impact of fostering inclusivity and diversity within the sport. This award is a source of immense pride and motivation to keep pushing boundaries in my cricketing journey.”