Naman Awards shine a light on India's rising cricket stars and stalwarts

The glittering lights of Hyderabad shone brightly on Indian cricket today as the Indian Cricket Board hosted the much-anticipated Naman Awards ceremony. After a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was a joyous reunion for players, coaches, broadcasters, and other distinguished guests, celebrating the exceptional achievements of Indian cricketers across the past four seasons.

Two legendary figures, Farokh Engineer and Ravi Shastri were bestowed with the prestigious Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognizing their lasting contributions to the sport. Engineer was a dashing batter who was way ahead of his time as he was swashbuckling and entertaining. Shastri, on the other hand, was honoured for his immense contributions as a player, broadcaster and coach.

For their stellar performances on the international stage, the coveted Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer saw a quartet of deserving winners. For the 2019-20, it was Mohammed Shami who emerged victorious while Ravichandran Ashwin won the award for 2020-21. Jasprit Bumrah and Shubman Gill took home the bragging rights for 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively.

On the women's side, the brilliant Smriti Mandhana claimed the Best International Cricketer Women's award for both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, further solidifying her status as a leading force in the game. Deepti Sharma also received recognition for her outstanding performances, bagging the award for 2019-20 and 2020-21.

Full list of award winners:

Best International Debut (Women's)

1. 2019-20: Priya Punia

2. 2020-21: Shafali Verma

3. 2021-22: Sabbhineni Meghana

4. 2022-23: Devika Vaidya

Highest Wicket-Taker in ODIs (Women's)

1. 2019- 20: Poonam Yadav

2. 2020-21: Jhulan Goswami

3. 2021-22: Rajeshwari Gayakwad

4. 2022-23: Devika Vaidya

Highest Run-Getter in ODIs (Women's)

1. 2019-20: Punam Raut

2. 2020-21: Mithali Raj

3. 2021-22: Harmanpreet Kaur

4. 2022-23: Hemimah Rodrigues 

Best International Cricketer (Women's)

1. 2019- 20: Deepti Sharma 

2. 2020-21:  Deepti Sharma

3. 2021-22: Smriti Mandhana

4. 2022-23: Smriti Mandhana

Best International Debut (Men's)

1. 2019- 20: Mayank Agarwal

2. 2020-21: Axar Patel

3. 2021-22: Shreyas Iyer

4. 2022-23: Yashasvi Jaiswal

Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men's)

1. 2019- 20: Mohammad Shami 

2. 2020-21: R Ashwin

3. 2021-22: Jasprit Bumrah

4. 2022-23: Shubman Gill

Dilip Sardesai Award (Men's)

1. Most wickets in Test Cricket - 2022-23 (India vs West Indies): R Ashwin

2. Most runs in Test Cricket - 2022-23 (India vs West Indies): Yashasvi Jaiswal

Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award

1. 2019- 20: Farokh Engineer

2. Ravi Shastri

Beyond the individual accolades, the evening was a testament to the resilience and talent that Indian cricket has showcased in recent years. With numerous other awards handed out and heartwarming speeches delivered, the Naman Awards served as a reminder of the passion, dedication, and sheer brilliance that drives this beloved sport.