Four exceptional talents – two from Sri Lanka, one from Afghanistan and one from the West Indies – have emerged as the top contenders for the 2024 Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday 29 December revealed the contenders for the annual award. .
This year’s cricket race heats up in the ICC Men’s Championship with Sri Lanka’s Wanendu Hasaranga and Kusal Mendis, Afghanistan’s rising pacer Azmatullah Omarzai and explosive West Indies batsman Shirvan Rutherford vying for the prestigious title.
The contenders for the 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year award have been revealed
These nominated stars wowed cricket fans with dazzling performances in ODI cricket throughout 2014, and fans around the world have 12 days to vote for their favorite player, with the best player being crowned the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024. .
Wanindu Hasaranga has proven to be an unstoppable force in white-ball cricket, taking 26 wickets at a massive economy rate of 5.36 and averaging 15.61 overs this year in ODI cricket. His incredible journey began in January 2024 when he destroyed Zimbabwe’s batting line-up in Colombo with career best figures of 7/19 in just 5.5 overs.
His spell reduced Zimbabwe from 43/0 to 96, earning him the man of the match award. In February, Hasaranga followed up with a stunning score of 4/27 against Afghanistan at Pallekele and continued his dominance with six wickets in the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh.
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The leg-spinner was even more magical in August, with the Sri Lankan star taking 3/58 against India and ending the year with back-to-back spells against the West Indies, including 4/40 and 2/18.
ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award 2024: Nominated by Afghan Azmatullah Umarzai
Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai has established himself as one of the most dynamic all-rounders in the world, making headlines this year with both bat and ball. In 12 ODI innings, Umarzai has scored 417 runs at an average of 52.12 and a strike rate of 105.56, as well as 7 wickets at an impressive average of 20.47 for the Afghanistan cricket team in 2024.
Azmatullah Omarzai’s batting brilliance was on full display at the start of the year, as he scored 149* off just 115 balls against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. He also shared a remarkable 242-year partnership with Muhammad Nabi. A few days later, Azmatullah followed up with a half-century in the same ODI series, but Afghanistan lost the series to Sri Lanka.
Omarzai played a pivotal role in Afghanistan’s historic first ever ODI series win over South Africa. He made an unbeaten 86* off just 50 balls in the second ODI, followed by a match-winning performance in the third ODI with 70* off 77 balls and 4/37 off 7 overs.
ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024: Kusal Mendis, Shirvan Rutherford also in contention
Kusal Mendis had a fantastic year with Willow for Sri Lanka in 2024, scoring 742 runs in 17 innings at an impressive average of 53.00 and strike rate of 90.59. His consistency has been impressive, as he has scored half-centuries against all six opponents he has faced this year in the 50s format.
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The veteran Sri Lankan batsman also produced the best performance of his career, scoring 143 runs off 128 balls against New Zealand in November 2024. Mendis started 2024 with scores of 46, 17 and 66* against Zimbabwe in January. He finished the year with impressive knocks, including 56* off just 22 balls against the West Indies and 217 runs across two innings against New Zealand.
His 143 against New Zealand in Dambulla, followed by 74* in Pallekele, showed his ability to dominate with the bat. As a wicket-keeper, Mendis has also been exceptional for the Islanders, taking 19 dismissals in ODIs this year. Sri Lanka have lost just three of their 17 ODIs in 2024, and Mendis has played a key role in their success with the bat and gloves in this format.
West Indies’ explosive batsman Shirvan Rutherford has made a notable impact with the willow in ODI cricket this year. In 2024, Rutherford dominated the format by scoring 425 runs at an average of 106.25 and a strikeout rate of 120.05.
Shervan Rutherford, known for his powerful batting in T20s, brought the same aggression to ODI cricket, starting the year with three successive half-centuries against Sri Lanka. He scored 204 runs at an average of 107.36 and was dismissed just once. However, West Indies lost the ODI series 2-1 to Sri Lanka.
Rutherford continued to shine in limited opportunities, making 54 from 36 balls against England. However, his standout performance came in December against Bangladesh, where he played a winning knock of 113 off just 80 balls to help the West Indies take a 1-0 lead in the ODI series. He ended the Bangladesh ODI series with an unbeaten score of 24* and 30, helping the West Indies complete a 3-0 sweep of the series.
