Suryakumar Is ICC’s T20I Cricketer Of Year; Renuka Singh A Winner Too

Dubai: Not unexpectedly, Suryakumar Yadav was on Wednesday named Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Pacer Renuka Singh, who produced consistent performances in 2022, was rewarded with ICC’s Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year.

The 26-year-old Renuka has captured 18 wickets in 7 women’s ODIs and 23 scalps in 25 women’s T20Is since making her senior India debut in October 2021.

SKY, as he is popularly called, had a phenomenal year in the shortest format of the sport.

The super consistent SKY smashed records galore as he amassed 1,164 runs in 31 matches at an average of 46.56, and more importantly, at a mind-boggling strike rate of 187.43 in 2022.

He notched up two centuries, as well as nine half-centuries.

The 32-year-old SKY smacked 68 sixes during the year, the most by any batter in T20Is in a year.

He became the first Indian to aggregate 1,000-plus T20I runs in a calendar year, and dethroned Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan as world No. 1 batter in ICC T20I rankings.

“It’s a great feeling and 2022 has been amazing for me. From a personal point of view I really enjoyed a few knocks I played that year. And If I had to pick one which I feel was special and very close to me, it was my first hundred for my country… The first hundred is always special. Hopefully, many more knocks to come. Thank you,” Suryakumar told ICC.