Sawt Falasteen - India's Bumrah named cricketer of the year after stellar 2024

Bumrah, 31, ended last year as the top wicket-taker in Tests with 71 wickets and inspired India to the T20 World Cup title in June.

"The year 2024 was incredibly special -- winning the men's T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados and also contributing as much as I could across all three formats of the game," said Bumrah.

"I dedicate this award to everyone who has believed in me, the power of hard work and dreams, and to bowlers worldwide who continue to inspire and strive for excellence."

Bumrah beat England batters Harry Brook and Joe Root as well as Australia's Travis Head to the award -- the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, given by the sport's governing body.

He is fifth Indian to receive the award after Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016) and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018).

Bumrah has claimed 443 wickets in 204 international matches since his debut for India in 2016.

New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr was voted women's cricketer of the year to win the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, after she won the T20 cricketer of the year on Saturday.

Kerr becomes the first New Zealander to win the trophy after she inspired the White Ferns to their women's T20 World Cup victory in October last year.

The 24-year-old overcame South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt, Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu and Australia's Annabel Sutherland to win the award.

P.Tamimi--SF-PST