ICC awards: Virat Kohli wins ICC ODI Cricketer Of The Year Award

Virat Kohli has bagged the ICC ODI Cricketer Of The Year Award. Kohli has been named the ODI Cricketer of the Year at the ICC awards function in Colombo. He was picked ahead of MS Dhoni, Lasith Malinga and Kumar Sangakkara.

During the period under consideration, Kohli scored 1733 runs at an average of 66.65 in 31 ODIs including eight hundreds and six half-centuries. His highest score was 183, against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.

“I think I have tried to keep things as simple as possible and it’s worked for me on the field,” Kohli said. “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.

“It’s always nice to be recognized by the ICC and it’s a great feeling and it’s the first time I’ve won one of these awards and it feels great.” He added.

Kumar Sangakkara has won three awards, including the prestigious Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year at the annual ICC awards ceremony in Colombo. Sangakkara also won the People’s Choice prize, an honour he had received last year as well. Sangakkara was chosen ahead of South Africa’s Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander, and Australia captain Michael Clarke.

“This is an amazing honour and I’ve seen the people who have won it before me and the nominees too, to be named alongside them is wonderful,” Sangakkara said after receiving the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for Cricketer of the Year from ICC president Alan Isaac. “I admire them greatly and even more so when I looked up at their records on the screen this evening. It’s great to be amongst them but now to receive this honour this evening, is simply fantastic.”

Sunil Narine, West Indies’ mystery spinner won the Emerging Player of the Year for 2012. The other nominated in the category were Sri Lanka batsman Dinesh Chandimal, New Zealand pacer Doug Bracewell and Australia quickie James Pattinson.

South African opener, Richard Levi was awarded the ICC T20 Performance of the Year Award for his brutal 117 run knock against the Kiwis. He broke Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest century in international T20s by scoring the 100 in just 45 balls.

Former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori was handed the Spirit of Cricket Award. India middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh gave away the award to Vettori.

The ICC Associate and Affiliate cricketer of the year award went to Ireland left arm spinner, George Dockrell. Dockrell was presented the award by former West Indies skipper Richie Richardson. Kumar Dharmasena, former Sri Lankan off-spinner and now umpire, gave the hosts plenty to cheer when he was named ICC Umpire of the Year Award winner.