Hyderabad (Telangana) [India]: India’s star cricketers Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Shubman Gill won the Polly Umrigar Award which is awared to the Best International Cricketer in the Men’s Category for the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively on Tuesday during the Naman Awards.
Shami reigned supreme during the year 2019-20 as he scalped 77 wickets in 30 matches with an average of 19.81 and an economy of 4.06. His best bowling figures during the year 5/35 came against South Africa in Visakhapatnam.
After winning the award, Shami expressed his delight and said, “I have been injured for the most part when I played for my country, I enjoy playing with the team and whenever the team requires me in whatever condition I am ready to play.”
Ashwin went on to dominate the following year as he made just seven appearances but scalped 44 wickets with his best bowling figure of 6/61 coming against England in Chennai.
The experienced all-rounder is close to completing 500 Test wickets as he currently sits on 490. He could achieve the milestone against England but isn’t focusing on the number.
“Numbers not really, in the early phase of my career it did. When you are sticking to larger picture and process it is about enjoying for me,” Ashwin said during the event.
Jasprit Bumrah who never seems to lose his groove was awarded as the best cricketer for the year 2021-22.
In his 15 appearances, he bagged 35 wickets with an economy of 3.27 with his best bowling figure of 5/24 coming against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru.
Finally, Shubman Gill amassed 1325 runs in 25 matches with his highest knock of 208 coming against New Zealand in the ODI clash.
Gill averaged 53.00 during 2022-23 and scored at a strike rate of 94.23. He also added six centuries and two half-centuries in his kitty as well.
Earlier in the award ceremony, former India cricketers Ravi Shastri and Farokh Engineer were awarded the prestigious Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Roger Binny and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah presented the award to Shastri and Farokh.
The likes of Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Agarwal and Sarfaraz Khan were recognised for their remarkable performances in domestic cricket
The Madhavrao Scindia award for the leading wicket-takers was bagged by Unadkat, Shams Mulani and Jalaj Saxena for the years 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
In terms of batting performance Rahul Dalal, Sarfaraz and Mayank walked away with the award for the years 2019-20, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.
