Kohli, Jadeja in contention for ICC Award

Dubai, Jan 6:

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday revealed the final group of outstanding performers shortlisted in three ICC Awards 2023 categories; the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year, the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year and the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.

The reveal of the final set of categories means that global cricket fans can now vote for their favourite cricketers from 2023 in nine ICC Awards categories.

The nominees for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy see Australia and India share two candidates each after a year in which they met in both the ICC World Test Championship Final and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Final.

Pat Cummins lifted the silverware on both of those occasions, and the Australia skipper is nominated in the top men’s category following a landmark year, according to an ICC media release.

Cummins, a former ICC Test Cricketer of the Year (2019), hit new heights in 2023, showcasing outstanding captaincy skills and also dazzling with ball in hand, taking 59 wickets in Tests and ODIs.

Travis Head also enjoyed a momentous year as one of the primary architects of Australia’s trophy-winning success. Head became the player for the big occasion in 2023, starring with the bat in both Finals to claim the Player of the Match award. The all-rounder amassed almost 1700 runs across formats during the year and claimed important wickets with the ball.

India icon Virat Kohli is in contention to win his third Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy after more notable run-scoring feats in 2023. Kohli eclipsed ICC Hall of Famer Sachin Tendulkar last year with a record-breaking 50th ODI century, and can also boast the Player of the Tournament award from CWC23 and 2048 international runs.

Ravindra Jadeja completes the lineup of nominees for the top men’s award following a year in which he took 66 wickets – more than any other player – and recorded 613 runs across formats, providing valuable contributions in India’s spin attack on their way to two Finals.

The shortlist for the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy features 2022 winner Nat Sciver-Brunt, after another year of dominance across formats in women’s international cricket. The England all-rounder took nine wickets and scored 894 runs in 2023, holding an impressive batting average of 45.50 in T20Is and 131.00 in ODIs.

Chamari Athapaththu is the only player nominated in three categories in the ICC Awards 2023 thanks to a standout year in the women’s game. The Sri Lanka skipper was in dazzling form for much of 2023, leading from the front as her side claimed landmark series victories and scoring 885 runs along the way in ODIs and T20Is.

Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner took more wickets than anyone else in women’s internationals in 2023, taking 58 wickets in Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Beyond the statistics, Gardner also won the Player of the Tournament award at the record-breaking ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for her all-round brilliance, and became the first player to win back-to-back ICC Women’s Player of the Month prizes in June and July.

Her compatriot Beth Mooney also stands in contention for the top women’s award thanks to a memorable year in which she scored more runs than anyone else in women’s international cricket. Mooney registered 1,040 runs in 2023, which included a match-winning 74 not out in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final victory over hosts South Africa.

The ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year contenders include two heroes from Australia’s World Test Championship winning campaign.

Opener Usman Khawaja topped the run-scoring charts in the longest format last year, amassing 1210 runs at an average of 52.60 which included three centuries. As well as his crucial performances in Australia’s maiden WTC triumph, Khawaja was leading run-scorer in the high octane Ashes series in June and July.

Also nominated is Travis Head, the all-rounder recording 919 runs in the longest format at an average of 41.77. The highlight of his Test year was undoubtedly his starring role in the WTC Final win over India hitting a memorable knock of 163 in the first innings at the Oval.

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