COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara was named ICC Cricketer of the Year, Test Player of the Year and People’s Choice awards at the governing body’s annual awards ceremony in Colombo yesterday.
India’s Virat Kohli took the one-day player of the year honor and West Indies off-spinner Sunil Narine was named emerging cricketer of the year.
Sangakkara scored 1,444 runs in 14 Test matches between Aug.2011 and Aug. 2012 at an average of 60.16, with five centuries and five half-centuries.
He also amassed 1,457 runs at 42.85 from 37 one-day internationals in the same period, during which he picked up 42 dismissals as his country’s wicketkeeper.
The 34-year-old edged out a shortlist of South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander and Australia’s Michael Clarke to win the award.
“This is an amazing honor,” said Sangakkara, who also won the people’s choice award.
“I’ve seen the people who have won it before me and the nominees too, to be named alongside them is wonderful. I admire them greatly and even more so when I looked up at their records on the screen this evening.” India’s Kohli was named one-day cricketer of the year for his 1,733 limited-overs runs at an average of 66.65.
He said: “I think I have tried to keep things as simple as possible and it’s worked for me on the field. This year has been a learning curve along the way from the seniors in the team. It’s been an all-round effort and I’m very happy to have won this award.” Narine, 24, from Trinidad, claimed 12 wickets at 31.50 from three test matches for the West Indies.
South African batsman Richard Levi won the international Twenty20 performance of the year award for his 51-ball 117 not out against New Zealand in Hamilton in February.
The awards were slightly overshadowed by Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal not being nominated for an individual award despite his heroics over the last 12 months. Pakistan in the end decided not to boycott the ceremony.
The World Twenty20 takes place in Sri Lanka between Sept.18 and Oct.7.
The Awards:
Cricketer of the Year: Kumar Sangakkara (SRI)
Other nominees:
Hashim Amla (RSA)
Michael Clarke (AUS)
Vernon Philander (RSA)
Test Cricketer of the Year: Kumar Sangakkara (SRI)
Other nominees:
Hashim Amla (RSA)
Michael Clarke (AUS)
Vernon Philander (RSA)
One-day Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (IND)
Other nominees:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (IND)
Lasith Malinga (SRI)
Kumar Sangakkara (SRI)
Women’s One-day Cricketer of the Year: Stafanie Taylor (WIS)
Other nominees:
Lydia Greenway (ENG)
Anisa Mohammed (WIS)
Sarah Taylor (ENG)
Emerging Cricketer of the Year: Sunil Narine (WIS)
Other nominees:
Doug Bracewell (NZL)
Dinesh Chandimal (SRI)
James Pattinson (AUS)
Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year: George Dockrell (IRL)
Other nominees:
Ed Joyce (IRL)
Kevin O’Brien (IRL)
Paul Stirling (IRL)
Dawlat Zadran (AFG)
Twenty20 International Performance of the Year: Richard Levi (RSA) for his 117 not out off 51 balls vs. New Zealand
Other nominees:
Tillakaratne Dilshan (SRI) — 104 not out off 57 balls vs. Australia
Chris Gayle (WIS) — 85 not out off 52 balls vs. New Zealand
Ajantha Mendis (SRI) — six for 16 in four overs vs. Australia
Women’s Twenty20 Cricketer of the Year: Sarah Taylor (ENG)
Other nominees:
Alyssa Healy (AUS)
Lisa Sthalekar (AUS)
Stafanie Taylor (WIS)
Umpire of the Year: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)
Other nominees:
Billy Bowden (NZL)
Aleem Dar (PAK)
Richard Kettleborough (ENG)
Simon Taufel (AUS)
Rodney Tucker (AUS)
Spirit of Cricket Award: Daniel Vettori (NZL)
Other nominees:
Mohammad Hafeez (PAK)
Jacques Kallis (RSA)
AB de Villiers (RSA)
People’s Choice Award: Kumar Sangakkara (SRI)
Other nominees:
James Anderson (ENG)
Jacques Kallis (RSA)
Vernon Philander (RSA)
Sachin Tendulkar (IND).
ICC Test Team of the Year:
Alastair Cook (ENG), Hashim Amla (RSA), Kumar Sangakkara (SRI), Jacques Kallis (RSA), Michael Clarke (AUS — capt), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WIS), Matt Prior (ENG — wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad (ENG), Saeed Ajmal (PAK), Vernon Philander (RSA), Dale Steyn (RSA). 12th man: AB de Villiers (RSA).
ICC ODI Team of the Year:
Gautam Gambhir (IND), Alastair Cook (ENG), Kumar Sangakkara (SRI), Virat Kohli (IND), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (IND — wicketkeeper/captain), Michael Clarke (AUS), Shahid Afridi (PAK), Morne Morkel (RSA), Steven Finn (ENG), Lasith Malinga (SRI), Saeed Ajmal (PAK). 12th man: Shane Watson (AUS).
