Published in Samaa, on Jan 22nd, 2019,
India’s Virat Kohli made history as he became the first player in history to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year, the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year and the ICC ODI Player of the Year awards following a stellar 2018.
Apart from receiving the illustrious awards, he was named the captain of the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year as well.
“Kohli scored 1,322 runs at an average of 55.08 in 13 Tests with five hundreds during the calendar year while in 14 ODIs he amassed 1,202 runs at an astonishing average of 133.55 with six centuries. He also scored 211 runs in 10 T20Is,” ICC reported.
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The 30-year-old from Delhi, emerged in to the cricketing scene when he led India to victory in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia in 2008 and finished 2018 as the top-ranked batsman in both Tests and ODIs. He was the top-scorer in both formats of the game in 2018.
“It feels amazing. It’s a reward for all the hard work that you do throughout the calendar year. I feel really grateful and very, very happy with the team doing well at the same time myself performing. Having recognition at the global level from the ICC is something you feel proud of as a cricketer because you understand that there are many players playing the game,” said Kohli.
He went on to say that it was a very proud moment for him as these awards give that extra motivation.