Dubai: Team India captain Virat Kohli was adjudged ICC’s Cricketer of the Decade as well ODI Cricketer of the Decade, while former skipper MS Dhoni won the Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade.
In the qualification period, Kohli scored over 20,000 international runs across all three formats to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for the best male cricketer of the decade. His tally of 20,396 runs came at an average of 56.97, the highest among players with 70-plus innings. He hit 66 international centuries and 94 fifties during the period.
Kohli’s prolific record in 50-over format helped him pip Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Joe Root and Steve Smith to the ODI player of the decade award, the ICC announced via Twitter.
“My only intention was to make winning contributions for the team and I just strive to do that in every game. Stats just become the byproduct of what you want to do on the field,” Kohli said on winning the prestigious awards.
Dhoni was chosen for the Spirit of Cricket Award by fans for his gesture of calling back England’s Ian Bell after a bizarre run out in the Nottingham Test in 2011.
On Sunday, Dhoni was named captain of ICC’s ODI and T20I teams of the decade, while Kohli was picked skipper of the Test team of the decade.
Australian batting powerhouse, who has been having a disappointing series against India currently, was named Test Cricketer of the decade.
Also Read: ICC Teams Of The Decade: Dhoni Named T20I & ODI Captain, Kohli Test Skipper
