AB de Villiers named South Africa’s Cricketer of the Year

The mesmerizing batsman, AB de Villiers, has been named South Africa’s Cricketer of the Year for the second successive year. For a batsman, whose batting has left everyone spellbound over the nearly the past four years, it was no surprise that he won five of the nine major awards, including ODI Cricketer of the Year, Cricketers’ Cricketer of the Year and Supporters’ Cricketer of the Year.

Since the start of 2014, de Villiers has scored 779 runs in 9 Tests at an average of 55.64 and 1610 runs in 28 ODIs at an average of 80.50 and a strike rate of 127.27, including 4 centuries and 10 half centuries. The four centuries include his world record 31-ball 100 against West Indies in Johannesburg, for which he was given the Special Award, and another blitzkrieg of 162 off 66 balls (fastest 150 in ODIs – off 64 balls) against the same opposition in Sydney in 2015 World Cup.

Hashim Amla was awarded the Test Cricketer of the Year, who previously won the award in 2010 and 2013. Amla recorded 801 runs in his nine Tests since January 2014 at an average of 66.75. 25-year old Rilee Rossouw was given the South Africa’s Newcomer of the Year award. Rossouw garnered 626 runs in his 20 One-Day International games at a strike rate of 105.21 in 2014 and 2015. Morne van Wyk was named the Twenty20 International Cricketer of the Year, while Shabnim Ismail was chosen as the Women’s Cricketer of the Year.

Haroon Lorgat, CSA’s chief executive officer, and former ICC CEO commended AB de Villiers’ performances. He said, “He is a true batting genius, who holds the world records for the fastest 50, 100 and 150 in one-day internationals (ODIs).”

“AB is just so special and must surely be the best all-round cricketer in the world. His performances are sheer class and his rankings – No. 2 in Tests and No. 1 in ODIs – tell only part of an amazing story. He has always been an entertainer and a trendsetter while, at the same time, possessing a unique ability to dig really deep when it matters. AB has modestly taken limited-overs batting to a new level and has done it with a style and panache that is beyond the reach of most,” Lorgat continued.

Former fast bowler Makhaya Ntini was also a part of a six-man judging panel which included former players, a cricket board official, a statistician and a journalist.

Here is the list of main award winners:

Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers

Test Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla

ODI international Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers

T20 international Cricketer of the Year: Morne van Wyk

Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Shabnim Ismail

Cricketers’ Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers

Supporters’ Cricketer of the Year: De Villiers

Special Award: AB de Villiers (fastest ODI century, against West Indies in Johannesburg)

Delivery of the Year: Dale Steyn (third Test against West Indies in Cape Town)

edited by Bhavna Rachuri