Australian captain Pat Cummins emerged as the standout player at the ICC Awards 2023, winning the prestigious Men’s Player of the Year award. Cummins had a remarkable year, leading Australia to victory in the ODI World Cup, clinching the World Test Championship, and retaining the Ashes with a drawn series in England.
In addition to his leadership prowess, Cummins showcased his bowling excellence, finishing as the sixth highest wicket-taker across formats in 2023. In Test matches, he trailed only his teammate Nathan Lyon in the wicket-takers list. Cummins also played some crucial innings with the bat, including his performances in the Edgbaston Test and the World Cup matches against Afghanistan and South Africa.
Meanwhile, Indian skipper Virat Kohli was named the Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year. Kohli had an outstanding year with the bat, amassing 1377 runs at an average of 72 and a strike rate of 99. He was the second highest run-scorer in 50-over cricket, narrowly behind his teammate Shubman Gill. Kohli’s exceptional performance in the World Cup, where he set a new record with 765 runs, played a significant role in securing the award.
Usman Khawaja, the Australian batsman, was honored as the Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. Khawaja had a remarkable comeback year, finishing as the highest run-scorer in Test matches with 1210 runs at an average of 52. He was the only player to surpass the 1000-run mark in 2023, with three centuries and six fifties to his name.
In the women’s category, Nat Sciver-Brunt received the Women’s Cricketer of the Year award for the second consecutive time. Despite not featuring in every game for England due to injuries and workload management, Sciver-Brunt displayed remarkable consistency. She scored three centuries in just six ODIs, maintaining an overall strike rate of 107. In T20Is, Sciver-Brunt aggregated 364 runs from 10 innings at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 135.
Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lankan captain, was named the Women’s ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year. Athapaththu stood out among the batters who crossed the 400-plus run mark in 2023, boasting a strike rate of above 100. Her aggressive batting style and consistency were instrumental in Sri Lanka’s successes, including an ODI series win against New Zealand.
Hayley Matthews, the West Indies captain, was awarded the Women’s T20I Player of the Year for her exceptional performances in the shortest format. Matthews scored 700 runs from 14 innings, averaging 63.6 at a strike rate of 132.3. Her contributions played a crucial role in West Indies’ performances, including a world record run chase against Australia.
Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian batsman, clinched the Men’s T20I Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year. Yadav amassed 733 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 159.6, including two centuries and five fifties. Despite a slightly lower strike rate compared to previous years, Yadav remained a dominant force in India’s T20I batting lineup.
Rachin Ravindra from New Zealand was named the Men’s Emerging Player of the Year for his impressive performances, particularly in the ODI format. Ravindra gained recognition during the World Cup, finishing the year with 820 runs at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 108.
Phoebe Litchfield, the Australian cricketer, was honored as the Women’s Emerging Player of the Year. Litchfield made a remarkable start to her international career, finishing as the second highest run-scorer in ODIs in 2023. She also made a significant impact in T20Is.
Bas de Leede from the Netherlands received the Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year award for his all-round contributions, which played a vital role in the team’s qualification for the ODI World Cup. Queentor Abel from Kenya was recognized as the Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year for her exceptional performances.
The ICC Awards 2023 celebrated the outstanding achievements of cricketers from around the world and highlighted their contributions to the sport.