Star pacer and prolific opener named world’s leading cricketers after phenomenal year on the pitch
India’s cricketing icons Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana have been named the world’s leading male and female cricketers, respectively, in the latest edition of the prestigious Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack 2024, reported dubaieye1038.com.
Jasprit Bumrah, the 31-year-old speedster, was recognized for his game-changing performances across formats, particularly in the T20 World Cup held in the West Indies, where he was named Player of the Tournament as India lifted the title. Wisden hailed his impact, stating: “Rarely has a cricketer stood out so overwhelmingly as he did in 2024.”
Smriti Mandhana, India’s dependable opener, claimed the women’s honour after a stellar year that saw her score five centuries—four of them in ODIs. She also led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden Women’s Premier League (WPL) title, cementing her legacy as a trailblazer in women’s cricket.
Bumrah dominated with the ball, Mandhana dazzled with the bat in a year that saw Indian cricket reach new heights.
Wisden 2024 celebrates India’s cricketing supremacy, with Bumrah and Mandhana leading the charge.
Elsewhere in the Almanack, West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran was named the ‘Leading T20 Player in the World’, while England’s Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith, Sophie Ecclestone, Liam Dawson, and Dan Worrall were honoured as Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year.
Often referred to as “the Bible of cricket”, the Wisden Almanack has been published annually since 1864 and remains the most revered publication in the cricketing world.