Jasprit Bumrah to receive prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for best international cricketer 2018-19

Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will be receiving the highly regarded Polly Umrigar Award for the best international cricketer (2018-19) at the BCCI Annual Award in Mumbai on Sunday.

The number one ranked ODI bowler made his Test debut during India’s tour of South Africa in January 2018 and has not looked over his shoulder since. Bumrah has been in a sublime form since the start of the 2018 season. Having scalped 62 wickets at an average of 19.24 in just 12 matches since his Test debut, Bumrah ascended up the ranks at a fleeting pace in the Test format and consolidated his spot as a ace bowler in the world.

During this time, the 26-year-old also became the foremost Asian bowler to scalp five wicket haul each in South Africa, England, Australia and West Indies. Bumrah went past Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal to grab the top spot in the India wicket takers list in the T20I format.

While Jasprit Bumrah will be awarded the big award in the men’s category, leg spinner Poonam Yadav will be awarded the best international cricketer (women). Poonam was presented with Arjuna Award by President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of National Sports Day in 2019. Poonam who is ranked second in T20Is, is India’s leading wicket taker in the shortest format.

Former Indian skippers Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra will be awarded with CoI CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for women respectively.

"The BCCI Awards is our way of recognizing the finest on-field performances right from the age group to senior level and also honour our legends. It will be a special evening in Mumbai as we will also have the 7th MAK Pataudi lecture and I am delighted to inform that it will be Virender Sehwag, who will address the gathering,” Sourav Ganguly said.

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