Cricketer of the Year 2024
The ICC Awards are an annual set of honors celebrating the standout performers of the past season in world cricket. In this piece, we’ll revisit not only the winners of the two major trophies, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, but also take a quick tour through the other categories announced by the ICC in late January 2024. The spotlight is, of course, on the athletes who defined the race for Cricketer of the Year 2024.
Jasprit Bumrah – Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy Winner (Cricketer of the Year 2024)
Jasprit Bumrah, India’s lightning-quick fast bowler who turned 31 in 2024, delivered one of the most dominant seasons of his career. Fresh off a back injury recovery, he jumped straight back into the lineup and immediately reclaimed his spot as India’s go-to weapon in Test cricket. By the end of the year, he had locked down the ICC’s top men’s individual honor, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, cementing his status as one of the key contenders in the Cricketer of the Year 2024 conversation.
In 2024, he racked up an incredible 71 Test wickets with a jaw-dropping average of 14.92 and a strike rate of 30.1. Honestly, numbers like these almost never appear in the modern Test era. They usually pop up during short, explosive bursts, but Bumrah kept this level up all year long.
- 71 Test wickets in a single season
- Bowling average of 14.92
- Strike rate of 30.1
- High-impact performances across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is
After the awards were announced, Bumrah shared his thoughts:
“It’s a huge honor for me. This season was truly special! I just tried to put in the work and help the team in every format.”
Fun fact: Bumrah became the first Indian since 2018 to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. The previous winner was Virat Kohli.
Amelia Kerr – Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy Winner (Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2024)
Amelia Kerr, New Zealand’s world-class all-rounder, claimed the ICC’s highest individual women’s honor in 2024: the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. With her all-format brilliance, she firmly established herself among the standout figures in the Cricketer of the Year 2024 landscape. She also became the first New Zealander ever to receive this prestigious award.
Here’s what Kerr stacked up over the season:
- T20I: 387 runs and 29 wickets
- ODI: 264 runs plus 14 wickets
- Named Player of the Tournament at the Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE
Her reaction to the award:
“It’s a huge honor to win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy. You don’t usually think too much about individual awards, but this one really feels special. It’s always a privilege to contribute to New Zealand cricket. I’ve had so many people helping me along the way and I’m incredibly grateful for all that support.”
Fun fact: Amelia Kerr also claimed Women’s T20 Cricketer of the Year, dominating the short format.
Other ICC Awards 2024 Winners (Cricketer of the Year 2024 Categories)
Beyond Bumrah and Kerr, the ICC rolled out the rest of its annual awards from January 24 to 28, each announcement spotlighting a specific format or achievement. These accolades also helped define the broader picture of the Cricketer of the Year 2024 in various categories.
Among the men, Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai was named the top ODI player, India’s Arshdeep Singh earned the T20 award, and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis secured the Breakthrough Player of the Year title.
In the women’s field, India’s Smriti Mandhana dominated the ODI category, while South Africa’s Annerie Dercksen was recognized as the most improved player of the season.
There were also distinctions for Associate nations: Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus topped the men’s rankings, while UAE’s Esha Oza claimed the women’s honor. Finally, umpire Richard Illingworth wrapped up the awards list, being named Umpire of the Year.
