In 2024, Jasprit Bumrah took 71 wickets at an average of just 14.92. No bowler in Test history has taken 70 wickets in a calendar year at a better average.
This remarkable achievement earned Bumrah the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award, a recognition that was well-deserved. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s all-rounder, Azmatullah Omarzai, was named the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year. The ICC announced both awards on its official website.
Bumrah has been one of the standout performers in the ongoing 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle. Whether playing at home or away, his performance with the ball has been exceptional. After recovering from a long-term back injury, Bumrah made his return to the Indian team in August 2023, and has been in outstanding form ever since, breaking record after record in pursuit of wickets.
Last year, Bumrah was the top wicket-taker in Tests, with 71 wickets from 13 matches. He claimed 19 more wickets than second-place bowler, Gus Atkinson. Bumrah bowled 357 overs in Tests, with an impressive economy rate of 2.96 in a time when quick runs are common in the game.
Bumrah became the 17th bowler in Test history to take 70 wickets in a single calendar year, and the fourth Indian after Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
His contributions were crucial in Test victories over South Africa in Cape Town and Australia in Perth in 2024. He took 19 wickets in India’s 4-1 series win against England and was named Player of the Series in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after taking 32 wickets. At 31, Bumrah also became the first bowler in the world to take 200 Test wickets at an average under 20 in that series.
Azmatullah Omarzai also had an exceptional 2024. The 24-year-old all-rounder played 14 ODIs, scoring 417 runs at an average of 52.12, and took 17 wickets at 20.47. Last year, he was Afghanistan’s second-highest run-scorer (behind Rahmanullah Gurbaz) and second-highest wicket-taker (behind Allah Gozhanfar).
Omarzai played 12 innings, remaining unbeaten in four of them. He scored one century and three fifties, including his career-best knock of 149 runs against Sri Lanka in February. He also played a key role in Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI series win over South Africa.
In November, despite a tough start to the series against Bangladesh in Sharjah, Omarzai guided Afghanistan to victory in the deciding ODI with an unbeaten 70 runs and four wickets.
In the women’s category, Smriti Mandhana was named the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year. The Indian opener scored 747 runs in 13 ODIs last year.
