Indian captain Virat Kohli became the first cricketer to make a clean-sweep of individual honours in the ICC annual awards, claiming the Test, ODI and overall Player of the Year trophies besides being named captain of the world body's all-star teams. Kohli also ended 2018 as the top-ranked Test and ODI batsman in the player rankings while his side finished the year as the top-ranked side in Tests, and number two behind England in ODIs. The annual awards are selected by the ICC Voting Academy comprising former players, members of the media and broadcasters for a voting period that ran from 1 January to 31 December 2018.
Cricketer of the Year
Kohli won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year, his second consecutive, for scoring 2,735 runs in 37 matches at an average of 68.37.
Test Cricketer of the Year
The top run-scorer in Tests with 1,322 runs at an average of 55.08, Kohli won his maiden ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year. He scored centuries in each of South Africa, England, India and Australia.
ODI Cricketer of the Year
For the second year running, Kohli is the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year. He scored 1,202 ODI runs in 2018 at a average of 133.55. He also became the fastest to reach the milestone of 10,000 runs in the format.
Kohli named captain
Kohli has been named captain of the International Cricket Council's Test and ODI teams of the year, leading the country's domination in both the line-ups. Three players each from India and New Zealand feature in the Test team, while four each from India and England are part of the ODI side of the year 2018. The Test team features compatriots, wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is the only player apart from Kohli to feature in both the sides. The ODI team has opener Rohit Sharma, spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Bumrah from India along with Kohli, while England are represented by Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes.
Kohli's 1,322 runs at an average of 55.08 with five centuries in 13 Tests and 1,202 runs at an average of 133.55 with six hundreds in 14 ODIs saw him selected to both sides by every voting member of the Academy with the majority of them also opting to name him at the helm of each. India won six Tests and lost seven during the voting period. In ODIs, Kohli led India to nine victories, with four losses and one tied match.
ICC Men's Test Team of the Year (in batting order)
Tom Latham (New Zealand), Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Kane Williamson (New Zealand), Virat Kohli (India) (capt), Henry Nicholls (New Zealand), Rishabh Pant (India) (wk), Jason Holder (Windies), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Nathan Lyon (Australia), Jasprit Bumrah (India), Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan)
ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year (in batting order)
Rohit Sharma (India), Jonny Bairstow (England), Virat Kohli (India) (capt), Joe Root (England), Ross Taylor (New Zealand), Jos Buttler (England) (wk), Ben Stokes (England), Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh), Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Kuldeep Yadav (India), Jasprit Bumrah (India).
Rishabh Pant named ICC's Emerging Cricketer
India's fast-rising wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant was named the International Cricket Council's Emerging Player of the Year. The 21-year-old Pant was picked by the ICC's voting academy for a stellar show in his breakthrough Test year in 2018. He became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a Test century in England, and equalled the record for the most catches taken in a Test, with 11 against Australia in Adelaide in December. He was also the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test hundred in Australia.
Spirit of Cricket Award: Kane Williamson
The ICC Spirit of Cricket Award 2018 goes to Kane Williamson, for continuing to be a shining role model of how our game should be played, his behaviour setting an outstanding example on and off the field.
Umpire of the Year: Kumar Dharmasena
Kumar Dharmasena won the David Shepherd Trophy for the ICC Umpire of the Year 2018. It is the second time he has received the prize, first picking up the award in 2012.
