Ben Stokes was yesterday named the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player of the Year, capping an unforgettable year for the swashbuckling England all-rounder that included a match-winning knock at the ICC Cricket World Cup.
Stokes won the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy — voted for by a panel of media representatives and former players — thanks to an unbeaten 84 in a dramatic final against New Zealand in July last year, followed by a brilliant 135 not out to win the third Ashes Test against Australia six weeks later.
Stokes, 28, said that it was a huge honor for any cricketer to receive such an award.
“To be recognized and be the person to win that [award], it’s pretty amazing,” he said in a video statement.
During the voting period, Stokes aggregated 719 runs and bagged 12 wickets in 20 one-day internationals (ODIs). He also scored 821 runs and took 22 wickets in 11 Tests.
However, the New Zealand-born star said that his award was not solely for him as an individual.
“The past 12 months have been incredible for England cricket and to lift the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time was our greatest achievement,” Stokes said.
“This award is testament to my teammates and the support staff that have been there every step of the way,” he said.
Stokes, who carried his form into this year with a man-of-the-match performance in the second Test victory over South Africa last week, said that the strong bonds between players can lead to further success.
Indian opener Rohit Sharma was named the ODI Cricketer of the Year, while captain Virat Kohli bagged the Spirit of Cricket award for his gesture to stop fans from booing Australia’s Steve Smith during a World Cup match.
Smith was returning to international cricket from a one-year suspension for changing the condition of the ball.
Kohli was also named captain of both the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year.
In other major awards, Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins was named the Test Player of the Year and teammate Marnus Labuschagne was declared Emerging Cricketer of the Year.
Brazil has four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup that kicked off yesterday in the US, but for SE Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption. Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles. The only major trophy missing is a world champions’ title. Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense FC and Botafogo FR, also in the tournament, have never won it either, but the problem for Palmeiras
Paris Saint-Germain’s Lee Kang-in has pleaded with South Korea fans to get behind the team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after more boos were aimed at coach Hong Myung-bo despite leading them to qualification. South Korea reached next year’s finals in North America without losing a game, but that does not tell the whole story. The country’s soccer association has been in the firing line, having scrambled about to find a successor after sacking the unpopular Jurgen Klinsmann in February last year. They eventually settled on Hong, the decorated former skipper who had an unsuccessful stint as coach in 2013-2014, during which
Lionel Messi drew vast crowds and showed flashes of his brilliance when his Inter Miami side were held to a goalless draw by African giants Al-Ahly as the revamped FIFA Club World Cup got off to a festive start on Saturday. Fans showed up en masse for the Group A clash at the Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, but Messi could not fully deliver, his best chance coming through a last-second attempt that was deflected onto the crossbar. Inter Miami next face FC Porto on Thursday in Atlanta, while Al-Ahly, who benefited from raucous, massive support, are to
Ferrari’s F1 fortunes might be flagging, but the Italian team start this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans as favorites, targeting a third consecutive triumph in motorsport’s fabled endurance classic. Roger Federer is acting as celebrity starter with the tennis icon getting the 93rd edition of the jewel in four-wheeled endurance racing’s crown under way tomorrow. Twenty-four hours later, through daylight, darkness and dawn, the 21 elite hypercars are to battle it out over 300 laps (more than 4,000km) in front of a sold-out 320,000 crowd burning the midnight oil with copious quantities of coffee and beer. Ferrari made a triumphant return after
RSS