Cricket / Jasprit Bumrah named BCCI's best male international cricketer, receives ₹15 lakh

Jasprit Bumrah received the highest prize of Indian cricket - the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for the best international cricketer (2018-19) at the BCCI Annual Awards in Mumbai on Sunday. Spinner Poonam Yadav was named as the best women’s cricketer. The Indian cricket board made these announcement through social media.

Bumrah made his Test debut during India’s tour of South Africa in January 2018 and hasn’t looked back since. He picked up a five-wicket haul in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies becoming the first and only Asian bowler to achieve the feat. He played a stellar role in the historic 2-1 Test series win in Australia that helped India retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 

While Bumrah netted the biggest prize in the men’s category, Poonam Yadav claimed the top prize in women’s category. The award will be another feather in the leg spinner’s cap who recently received the Arjuna Award.

POLLY UMRIGAR AWARD BEST INTERNATIONAL CRICKETER- MEN#NAMAN pic.twitter.com/Z05DDz1NGq

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 12, 2020

Former India captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra were presented with Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women respectively. 

A member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team, Srikkanth took on the fearsome West Indies fast bowlers and scored an attacking 38, the top individual score in the low-scoring final at the Lord’s. He also captained India and post-retirement served as the chief selector and it was during his tenure that the 2011 World Cup squad was picked. 

Anjum is one of the finest batswomen and the first Indian to play 100 WODIs. In a career spanning 17 years, Anjum represented India in four 50-over World Cups and two T20 World Cup (played in 1).