The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rolled out the red carpet for a night of splendor and celebration in Hyderabad with the staging of its esteemed NAMAN awards ceremony. After a four-year hiatus, the luminaries of Indian cricket assembled to recognize exemplary achievements in the sport across various levels, including age-group, domestic, and international areas for both men and women.
The ceremony, which precedes an exciting Test series against England, was brimming with anticipation as the entirety of the Indian team graced the city, eagerly participating in the grand event alongside presenters, board members, and administrators.
Among the evening’s highlights, two legendary figures, Farokh Engineer and Ravi Shastri, were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Awards, commending their enduring contributions to the game of cricket. The roster of victors spanned a talented array of cricketers including the youthful vigour of Shubman Gill, Deepti Sharma, Smriti Mandhana, R Ashwin, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jaydev Unadkar, to the U19 skipper Uday Saharan, each claiming their well-deserved accolades.
Aspiring stars were also spotlighted, with Vaishnavi Sharma (Madhya Pradesh) and Nabam Yapu (Arunachal Pradesh) clinching the Best Women Cricketer in junior and senior domestic categories, respectively. Meanwhile, the Vijay Merchant Trophy saw Anmoljeet Singh (Punjab) and Vihaan Malhotra (Punjab) recognized as the highest wicket-taker and highest run-getter among the U16s. The U19 Cooch Behar Trophy reiterated the prowess of young talent with Manav Chothani (Saurashtra) and Danish Malewar (Vidarbha) achieving top honors in bowling and batting, correspondingly.
Further, the U23 Col. CK Nayadu Trophy showcased the skills of Vishal B Jayswal (Gujarat) and Kshitij Patel (Gujarat) as they emerged victorious as the leading wicket-taker and run-scorer. On a more seasoned level, the Ranji Trophy celebrated Jalaj Saxena (Kerala) and Mayank Agarwal (Karnataka) for their cricketing supremacy in bowling and batting.
In the domestic limited-over competition, Riyan Parag’s all-around abilities earned him the accolade for the best all-rounder while Saransh Jain garnered similar praise for his performance in the Ranji Trophy. The Saurashtra team’s distinguishing accomplishments landed them the Best Performance in BCCI Domestic Tournaments, indicative of their year of remarkable victories and near-wins.
The precision and fairness in officiating at the domestic level were recognized with Rohan Pandit being named the best umpire in domestic cricket. The women’s ODI segment celebrated Devika Vaidya for the highest wickets and Jemimah Rodrigues for the most runs.
In an international showdown against the West Indies, the Dilip Sardesai Award went to R Ashwin and Yashasvi Jaiswal for leading in wicket-taking and run-getting, respectively. Debutants also made their mark with Amanjot Kaur and Yashasvi Jaiswal, both receiving accolades for their international debuts in the women’s and men’s categories.
The night culminated with the announcement of the Polly Umrigar Award for the best international cricketer (men), which was bestowed upon the immensely talented Shubman Gill, while Deepti Sharma’s unrivaled prowess earned her the title of best international cricketer (women).
The BCCI NAMAN awards served not only as a testament to past achievements but also as a bellwether of the boundless potential of Indian cricket. Each award echoed the spirit of sportsmanship and a commitment to the revered game, setting a benchmark for players, young and old, to aspire towards in their cricketing pursuits.
