Suryakumar wins ICC T20I Cricketer of Year award; picks his 'special' knock

India’s Suryakumar Yadav on Wednesday (January 25) won the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2022 award.

The honour, as part of the ICC Awards 2022, was bestowed upon Suryakumar after he had one of the best years any player has had in the format’s history. He scored 1,164 runs in 31 matches at an average of 46.56 and a strike-rate of 187.43.

Also read: Rahul Dravid to Suryakumar Yadav: ‘I am sure you did not watch me bat’

“It is a great feeling. 2022 has been an amazing year for me. I enjoyed a few knocks that I played that year. If I had to pick one knock which was special and close to me, was my first hundred for my country because first hundred is always special. Hopefully, many more knocks to come,” Suryakumar said in a video posted on bcci.tv.

He made his maiden T20I hundred, a stunning 117 off 55 balls with 14 fours and six sixes, against England in Nottingham on July 10, 2022.

From 31/3 in a run chase of 216, Yadav lifted India with his outrageous stroke-making, giving the ‘Men in blue’ a chance at chasing down the target. His dismissal ended India’s hopes of a famous victory, but he put the team within touching distance of what would have been an incredible win.

Also read: Access shots, innovation make Suryakumar Yadav a threat: Hayden

Suryakumar had a stellar 2022 with the bat breaking an array of records and setting a benchmark like never before in the format. He became just the second batter to make more than 1,000 runs in a calendar year in T20Is and ended the year as the highest run-getter, scoring 1,164 runs at a ridiculous strike rate of 187.43.

He hit a stunning 68 sixes during the year, easily the most recorded by anyone in a year in the format’s history. The Indian was the key batter for his team through the year, smashing two hundreds and nine half-centuries.

Suryakumar was at his stupendous best during the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, recording three fifties in six innings and averaging nearly 60 during the tournament. Notably, his strike rate was yet again right up there at 189.68.

Also read: ICC Awards 2022: Three Indians named in ICC T20I Team of the Year

Having already recorded a ton earlier in 2022, Suryakumar continued his brilliant year after the multi-nation tournament, making his second hundred in T20Is in the year in the bilateral series in New Zealand. Yadav also became the top-ranked ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings, achieving a career-high 890 rating points.

The ICC awards 2022 are determined based on performances and overall achievements from 1 January to 31 December 2022, and the winners are identified from the results of the ICC Voting Academy selections, combined with global fans voting outcomes.

Renuka Singh wins emerging player award

Meanwhile, Indian woman cricketer Renuka Singh won the ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year 2022 honour.

The newest fast bowling star Renuka beat Australia’s Darcie Brown, England’s Alice Capsey and compatriot Yastika Bhatia to become the recipient of the award.

There is rightfully a buzz surrounding 26-year-old Renuka Singh, who burst into life in a busy 12 months for the India team.

The right-armer claimed 40 wickets for her country in 2022 in just 29 matches across the two white-ball formats, filling the void of the great Jhulan Goswami.

In the ODI game, Renuka was especially potent, taking 18 wickets at an average of just 14.88, of which eight came in two appearances against England, and seven in India’s series with Sri Lanka.

South Africa’s Marco Jansen won the ICC Men’s Emerging Player of the Year 2022 award. Jansen beat tough competition from India’s Arshdeep Singh, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran and New Zealand’s Finn Allen, who all enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2022.

As @surya_14kumar becomes the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣, relive the best of SKY and hear his special message after receiving the award 👏🏻👏🏻

Watch 📽️https://t.co/IGRTAM8PZ6 https://t.co/6NkbPHh16F

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2023

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣

Congratulations Renuka Singh 👏🏻👏🏻#TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ZKfk7ENDm3

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2023