Ashwin named ICC's Cricketer and Test Cricketer of the Year
India's Ravichandran Ashwin has been named the 'ICC Test Cricketer of the Year' at the ICC Awards today. He was also awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy after being chosen as the 'ICC Cricketer of the Year.' Ashwin is the leading test wicket taker in the year 2016 and is ranked on top spot in ICC all-rounders' and bowlers' ranking.
ICC Awards
The ICC Awards are given by the International Cricket Council to honour the best of cricket in the year. They were first started in the year 2004 and are held annually since then. The winners are selected by a vote from a selected panel which consists of former players, elite umpires and match referees and some respected media persons.
Teams of the year
Along with the awards, ICC also announces the teams of the year, selecting 12 players from various countries to make the ICC Test and ODI team of the year. In 2016, the 'ICC Women's Team of the Year' will be announced for the first time.
Ashwin third Indian to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy
Ravichandran Ashwin became the third Indian cricketer to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. While Dravid was the first winner of the trophy in 2004, Tendulkar was awarded it in 2010.
Misbah-ul-Haq receives 'Spirit of Cricket Award'
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq became the first Pakistani player to win the 'ICC Spirit of Cricket Award.' Misbah was honoured with the award after he took his team from number four in the test ranking to the top, without playing any test match at their home country. India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the first recipient of the award in the year 2011.
Misbah's speech after receiving the award
"I feel honoured and humbled to have won the award. To lift test mace earlier this year and now this in twilight of my career, is message for every athlete that age is not a barrier as long as the sportsperson maintains highest fitness levels."
Smriti Mandhana named in ICC Women's team of the Year
Smriti Mandhana was the only Indian women cricketer to be named in the 'ICC Women's team of the Year 2016.' The team will be led by West Indies' Stafanie Taylor and also features New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who won the ICC Women's ODI and T20I Player of the Year awards. It was the first time that ICC named its women's team of the year.
Marais Erasmus named ICC Umpire of the Year
South African umpire Marais Erasmus has been awarded the 'David Shepherd Trophy for the ICC Umpire of the Year' becoming the fifth umpire to win the award since 2004. The 52-year old had made his debut in 2007 and was then promoted in 2010.
Quinton de Kock's first ICC award
South Africa's young batsman Quinton de Kock was named as the ICC ODI Player of the Year. The 24-year old had made his ODI debut for South Africa in 2013. In 2016, Quinton has scored 857 runs from 17 innings with an average of 57.13. His highest score of 178 came against Australia in September, helping South Africa win the match by six wickets.
Kohli named skipper of ICC ODI Team of the Year
Indian test skipper Virat Kohli was named the captain of the ICC ODI team of the Year. Along with Virat, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja also found their place in the team. R Ashwin was the only Indian in the ICC Test team of the Year, while England's Alastair Cook was selected to lead the test team for the third time.
Warner, Starc make it to both ICC teams
Australia's David Warner and Mitchell Starc are the only two players who were selected on both - ICC Test and ODI teams of the Year.
Other awards given away by ICC
Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman, who made his ODI debut in November 2015, was named the 'ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year.' West Indies' all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite wins the 'ICC T20I Performance of the Year' for his knock of 34 runs in 10 balls in the World T20 Finals against England. Mohammad Shahzad of Afghanistan was named ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year.
