Jasprit Bumrah claims historic double with Men’s Cricketer of the Year award

Indian pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah capped a memorable year by clinching the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year, while New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr made history as the first New Zealander to win the Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. The awards were announced on Tuesday.

Bumrah, who also bagged the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award on Monday, edged out Australia’s Travis Head and England’s Harry Brook and Joe Root to claim the top honour. This victory places him among an elite group of Indians—Virat Kohli (2018), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016), and Rahul Dravid (2004) — to have won both the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy and the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award in the same year.

In 2024, Bumrah dominated the charts with the highest wickets in Tests and led India to their first ICC silverware in 11 years with a scintillating performance in the Men’s T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA.

The 31-year-old’s stellar year in Tests included a career-best tally of 71 wickets at an extraordinary average of 14.92, finishing 19 wickets clear of his nearest rival.

“The year 2024 was incredibly special — winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados and also contributing as much as I could across all three formats of the game,” Bumrah said in an ICC statement. “I dedicate this award to everyone who has believed in me, the power of hard work and dreams, and to bowlers worldwide who continue to inspire and strive for excellence.”

Amelia Kerr enjoyed a momentous 2024, inspiring the White Ferns to their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup triumph.

Kerr shone in T20Is, scoring 387 runs and claiming 29 wickets at an average of 15.55. Her brilliance was most evident during the World Cup, where she set a record for the most wickets in a single edition (15) and delivered a stunning performance in the final to secure the trophy and the Player of the Tournament accolade.

“It’s a huge honour to win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. For me, individual awards aren’t something I think about much, but this is an extremely special one,” Kerr said. “It’s nice to be able to contribute for New Zealand; I guess that’s all any cricketer wants is to work hard and put out performances for their teammates. There are so many people that have helped me achieve what I have, and I’m very grateful for the support network I have around me.”

Australia were presented with the ICC Women’s Championship trophy in Melbourne after winning the prestigious 10-team competition, which serves as a pathway to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

Captain Alyssa Healy received the trophy on behalf of her team from Cricket Australia Chair and ICC Director Mike Baird.

Australia’s dominance in the championship continues, with the team securing victory in all three editions since its inception in 2014. The competition has played a pivotal role in expanding women’s cricket tours over the past decade.