ICC Announces Shortlist for Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Men's Cricketer of the Year

The ICC has announced the shortlist for the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Men's Cricketer of the Year. Four players have made it to the list: England’s Joe Root and Harry Brook, India’s Jasprit Bumrah, and Australia’s Travis Head.

Harry Brook (England)

This year, Harry Brook scored 1,100 runs in 12 Test matches, averaging 55 with a highest score of 317. The 22-year-old played a pivotal role in England's home series victories against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. Brook, a right-handed batsman, also achieved back-to-back centuries against New Zealand.

Joe Root (England)

Joe Root scored 1,556 runs in 17 Test matches, with an average of 55.57. His highest score was 262. The seasoned English batsman reached new heights as a Test batter in 2024, marking his fifth calendar year with over 1,000 Test runs. He also scored the most Test centuries this year, with six. Root climbed to the number one spot in the ICC Test Batter Rankings.

Travis Head (Australia)

In 9 Test matches, Travis Head accumulated 608 runs at an average of 40.53, with a highest score of 152. In 15 T20Is, he scored 539 runs at a strike rate of 178.47. Head was a key player for Australia this year, both in Tests and T20Is, and featured among the top run-scorers in the ICC T20 World Cup.

Jasprit Bumrah (India)

Jasprit Bumrah took 71 wickets in 13 Test matches, with his best bowling figures being 6 wickets for 45 runs. In addition, he claimed 15 wickets in 8 T20Is at an economy rate of 4.17. Bumrah played a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup victory, contributing significantly with the ball.

These four players have demonstrated exceptional performances in international cricket, making them strong contenders for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year.