Jasprit Bumrah to receive Polly Umrigar award for best Indian international cricketer
India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will receive the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for the best international cricketer (2018-19) at the BCCI Annual Awards to be held in Mumbai on Sunday.
The world”s No. 1 ODI bowler made his Test debut during India”s tour of South Africa in January 2018 and hasn’t looked back since. Bumrah has been in a phenomenal form since the start of the 2018 season. Having picked 62 wickets at a staggering average of 19.24 in just 12 matches since his Test debut against South Africa in January 2018, Jasprit Bumrah has risen up the ranks at a rapid pace in the longest format and reiterated his position as a top bowler in the world.
During this period, Bumrah also became the first Asian bowler to pick up a five-wicket haul each in South Africa, England, Australia, and West Indies. Jasprit Bumrah surpassed Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal to take the top spot in the India wicket-takers list in the T20I format.
While Bumrah will recieve the biggest prize in the men’s category, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav will be awarded the best international cricketer (women). Poonam was conferred Arjuna Award by President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of National Sports Day in 2019. Poonam, ranked second in T20Is, is country’s leading wicket-taker in the format.
Former India captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra will receive the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women respectively.
Sourav Ganguly, President, BCCI said, “The BCCI Awards is our way of recognizing the finest on-field performances right from the age group to senior level and also honour our legends. It will be a special evening in Mumbai as we will also have the 7th MAK Pataudi lecture and I am delighted to inform that it will be Virender Sehwag, who will address the gathering.”
