Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and batter Smriti Mandhana will be honoured with the BCCI’s Polly Umrigar Award for International Cricketer in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively, for their outstanding performances in 2023-24 on Saturday.
Bumrah, recognised as the ICC Test and overall Cricketer of the Year in 2024 for his “masterclass in skill, precision, and relentless consistency,” has been India’s standout bowler over the past year. He played a crucial role in India’s home victories against England and Bangladesh.
Bumrah also won the Sir Garfield Sobers Award after edging out strong competition from Travis Head, Joe Root, and Harry Brook. He was instrumental in India’s T20 World Cup triumph.
He becomes the fifth Indian to receive the honour, joining Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016), and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018).
Additionally, Bumrah was named the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year, recognising his exceptional performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, in which he claimed 32 wickets.
Mandhana, who was named the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, enjoyed a dominant run in 2024. She amassed 743 runs throughout the year and set a record with four ODI centuries.
The 28-year-old’s aggressive yet graceful batting saw her hit over a hundred boundaries, including 95 fours and six sixes.
With an impressive average of 57.86 and a strike rate of 95.15, she established herself as one of the most consistent performers in international cricket.
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