Patiala, 30 December (Sports Desk)
The shortlist for the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year has been announced, featuring a formidable lineup of international stars: England’s prolific run-scorers, Australia’s explosive left-hander, and India’s pace-bowling maestro.
see this link also……Four ODI Stars in the Running for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year
Here’s a closer look at their remarkable achievements in 2024:
Harry Brook (England):
- Statistics: 1100 runs from 12 Tests, average 55.00, Highest Score 317
- Key Achievements: Emerged as a key figure in England’s Test batting lineup, embodying their aggressive approach. Contributed significantly to home series wins against West Indies and Sri Lanka. Scored back-to-back centuries against New Zealand, contributing to England’s first Test series victory there since 2008. Briefly topped the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings.
- Memorable Performance: Scored a magnificent 317 off 322 balls against Pakistan in Multan, forming a massive 453-run partnership with Joe Root and leading England to an innings and 47-run victory. He was named Player of the Match.
see this link also…..Four Young Stars in Contention for ICC Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year
Jasprit Bumrah (India):
- Statistics: 71 wickets from 13 Tests, average 14.92, BBI 6/45; 15 wickets from 8 T20Is, average 8.26, economy 4.17
- Key Achievements: Led India’s bowling attack across all formats, contributing to significant victories, including their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title. Took 15 wickets in eight matches at the T20 World Cup. Claimed an impressive 71 wickets in 13 Tests. Performed consistently in both home and away conditions.
- Memorable Performance: As captain in the Perth Test against Australia, Bumrah took a five-wicket haul in the first innings and added more wickets in the second, finishing with eight wickets in the match and earning Player of the Match, leading India to an early series lead.
Joe Root (England):
- Statistics: 1556 runs from 17 Tests, average 55.57, Highest Score 262
- Key Achievements: Continued his stellar Test career, scoring over 1000 Test runs in a calendar year for the fifth time. Surpassed numerous legends to achieve the joint-fifth highest century count in Test cricket (36). Maintained his position as the number one Test batter in the ICC rankings for a significant period.
- Memorable Performance: Dominated the Pakistan bowling attack in Multan, scoring his sixth Test double century. His partnership with Harry Brook set the stage for a memorable away victory.
Travis Head (Australia):
- Statistics: 608 runs from 9 Tests, average 40.53, Highest Score 152; 539 runs from 15 T20Is, strike rate 178.47
- Key Achievements: Continued his strong form from 2023, delivering impactful performances across formats. Played aggressively in T20Is, finishing among the top run-scorers at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Played a crucial role in Australia’s push to defend their WTC title. Led the run-scoring charts in the home Test series against India.
- Memorable Performance: Scored a counter-attacking 140 off 141 balls in the second Test against India in Adelaide (a pink-ball Test), helping Australia recover from a 1-0 deficit and level the series. He was named Player of the Match.
