New Delhi, Jan, 25: Adding another major title to his overflowing trophy cabinet on Thursday, former India skipper Virat Kohli bagged the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award for the 2023 season. Leading the batting charge of Rohit Sharma’s Team India in the ICC World Cup 2023, the former Indian skipper capped off a fruitful campaign with the bat for the host nation. Shattering multiple records in the One Day International (ODI) World Cup at home, run-machine Kohli propelled the Men In Blue to the final of the ICC event last year.
Kohli was among the four players shortlisted for the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2023 Award. Besides Kohli, pacer Mohammed Shami, opener Shubman Gill and New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell were earlier gunning for the ICC award. Superstar Kohli smashed 1377 runs, bagged 1 wicket and picked up 12 catches in 27 matches for the two-time world champions. The batting icon also finished the 2023 edition of the World Cup as the tournament’s leading run-getter.
Kohli’s exceptional 2023 season
After regaining top form in 2022, Kohli extended his free-scoring run in the 2023 World Cup. He was named the Player of the Tournament at the ICC event last year. He scored a half-century in nine of his 11 innings at the 50-over World Cup. The premier batter amassed 765 runs – the most by any batter in the history of the World Cup. Kohli surpassed Sachin Tendulkar to achieve the special feat at the World Cup. Shattering a world record, Kohli became the first batter to register 50 centuries in the ODI format. Kohli averaged 95.62 and batted at a strike rate of 90.31 for India at the World Cup. The batting maestro notched up three centuries in the showpiece event.
Celebrating the best performers in world cricket across all formats, the ICC named Usman Khawaja as the Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year for 2023. Khawaja outclassed Travis Head, India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England’s Joe Root for the ICC award. Top-ranked batter Suryakumar Yadav was named the ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2023 while New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra secured the ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year award. Leading the Test Team of the Year for the 2023 season, Australian skipper Pat Cummins claimed the Sir Garfield Sobers title following a trophy-laden season.
