Fast bowling sensation Mustafizur Rahman has been named the International Cricket Council's Emerging Player of the Year, becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to win an annual award of world cricket's governing body.
The left-arm fast bowler has registered impressive performances since his international debut in April, 2015. In the period under consideration (September 2015-16), he picked up eight ODI wickets and 19 Twenty20 international wickets.
“This award is the best gift of the year for me and will encourage me to do even better in the coming years. I’m delighted and proud to win this award, especially since this is the first time that a Bangladesh player has won an ICC award,” said Mustafizur.
“Playing international cricket is a dream for every cricketer. And it has been a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who supported me over the years. I promise to give my best whenever I get the opportunity,” he added.
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Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the third India player and 12th overall to win the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (Cricketer of the Year). He was also named the Test Cricketer of the Year, thus becoming the second India cricketer after Rahul Dravid (2004) to receive two awards in the same year.
The top-ranked Test bowler took 48 wickets and scored 336 runs in eight Tests during the voting period, in addition to 27 wickets in 19 T20Is. In 2016, he bagged 72 wickets in 12 Tests and became the second-fastest bowler to take 200 Test wickets.
South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock was named the ODI Cricketer of the Year while West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite won the T20I Performance of the Year award for his match-winning 34 not out off 10 balls in the final of the 2016 World T20 against England in Kolkata, India.
Afghanistan stumper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad was adjudged the Associate/Affiliate Cricketer of the after the hard hitter batsman finished as the leading ODI run-scorer with 699 runs in 16 ODIs.
New Zealand's Suzie Bates was named the Women's ODI and T20I Player of the Year while Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq was awarded with the Spirit of Cricket accolade.
South Africa’s Marias Erasmus was named Umpire of the Year.
The player awards were judged by a voting academy, which was entirely independent of the ICC and in which members of the media from all the 10 Test playing countries were eligible to vote.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
