ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 Nominees：Complete List

The ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 award honors the extraordinary skills and contributions of the cricketers who have left an indelible mark on the game during the past year. The 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year nominees are Wanindu Hasaranga and Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka), Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan), and Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies). The list offers an insight into the diversity of modern cricket and the players who stood out with bat and ball under ODI conditions across the world. Let’s dive deep into all the nominees and their remarkable paths through 2024.

Contents

1 ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 Nominees
2 Who Will Be 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer？

ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 Nominees

Wanindu Hasaranga

After having built his corner as Sri Lanka cricket team‘s best, Wanindu Hasaranga has expressed this 2024 season as a testimony to his standing among the elite of the game. Hasaranga ended the year with the most wickets in ODIs – 26 from ten matches at an average ranging around 15.61, making him a worthy candidate for the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 award.

In January, his career-best, 7/19 against Zimbabwe in Colombo, was an exposition on spin bowling. Batting after what seemed a paradise for batsman at first, he turned things around on Zimbabwe, pushing their score from 43/0 to 96 all out. His performance ranks second-best ever by a Sri Lankan in ODIs, which is indicative of him on the big stage. Despite the impressive stats, on the field, Hasaranga attracts magnet-like attention. Breaking partnerships or restricting runs in middle overs, the player turned out to be a linchpin in the Sri Lankan campaigns this passing year. His combination of contributions extends through T20s and gorgeous franchise cricket, rendering him one among the most sought-after players across the globe.

Kusal Mendis

Kusal Mendis carried Sri Lanka’s batting hopes in 2024 in conjunction with a superb bowling display by Hasaranga. The 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter scored 1,113 runs in 24 ODIs at an average of 51.04, including three centuries and eight fifties. Such an innings’ anchor-accompanying acceleration whenever necessary brought Sri Lanka victories in the year, turning him into one of the leading 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year nominees.

Mendis shone with a spectacular 143 off 125 against India in the Asia Cup. With India’s deadly bowling attack on him, Mendis celebrated his class by pressuring the Indian bowlers, balancing aggression with calculated risks, to take the match total to a competitive stage. Mendis showed utmost skill as a captain and led by example with both bat and gloves. He played according to the conditions, whether those in Colombo or those of the bouncy Australian tracks, which showed his versatility and made him a very important cog in the Sri Lankan ODI lineup.

Azmatullah Omarzai

Emerging among Afghanistan’s bright stars, Azmatullah Omarzai is already a sensation in 2024. A genuine all-rounder, Omarzai with both bat and ball in all 36 ODIs rallied himself with 907 runs at an average of 47.73 and a strike rate of 97.21, turning him into an ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 nominee. With the ball, he picked up 30 wickets at an economy of 5.38, showcasing how he can influence matches in all possible ways.

Omarzai will forever be remembered for his unforgettable performance against Pakistan in an exciting encounter in the Asia Cup. Terrorizing the target, Omarzai scored an astonishing 149 not out in what was his maiden century in ODIs to stage Afghanistan’s famous win single-handedly. Calm under pressure and bold finishing strokes attracted numerous fans. With the ball, Omarzai’s variations prove to be a game-changer for breaking partnerships and stemming the tide of run flow. His all-around brilliance, which outlines Afghanistan’s emergence in ODIs, renders him one of the most watchable players in world cricket.

Sherfane Rutherford

Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive batting has ensured a new lease on life for West Indies cricket team. In only 12 ODIs this year, Rutherford scored 497 runs at an amazing average of 71, with a strike rate of 111.43. His mode of play gives him the ability to take on the attack from the very first over and has thus become a match-winner for the Caribbean side. This sealed his place in the 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year shortlist.

The 113 off 94 balls against South Africa cricket team this year was one of the most celebrated innings of 2024. Though ambushed at 85/4, Rutherford blasted his way in boundaries and sixes to propel the team toward a winning total. The way he clears the ropes has drawn comparisons with some of the great West Indian batters of the past. Despite being given little work with the ball, on occasion, Rutherford has contributed on point when called upon. His electric fielding and ability to hustle when in ably-aided enables the best use of him in crunches for the West Indies.

Who Will Be 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer？

The ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 award not only acknowledges individual brilliance but also indicates how each player’s contribution might act as somewhat of a catalyst to the fortunes of team cricket. In producing magical performances from Hasaranga, along with his consistency in Mendis, Omarzai was all-around heroics and Rutherford’s fireworks, each of those nominees brought something unique to the table.

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The very nominations of two players from Sri Lanka reflect the resurgence of their ODI team, characterized by a careful mix of youth and experience. Representing Afghanistan, Omarzai captivates with the continual rise of his team in international cricket, while Rutherford is the face of West Indies’ resumption of glory in white-ball cricket.

While the fans will wait with bated breath until the winner is announced, such performances serve to remind them that the game is indeed global and that new stars are shaping its future. The 2024 ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year will, no doubt, be legacies taken up by the next generation of cricketers around the world.