ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year: The ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award is regarded as one of the most prestigious honours in international cricket, celebrating players who have delivered exceptional performances in the 50-over format over the course of a year.
As anticipation builds around this year’s winner, several top names are believed to be in contention, including Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Matthew Breetzke, Shai Hope, Daryl Mitchell, Matt Henry, Adil Rashid, Sikandar Raza, Mitchell Santner and Jayden Seales.
Despite a brief lean patch during the Australia tour, Virat Kohli enjoyed an impressive run in ODIs this year. His century against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy, followed by title triumph and back-to-back hundreds against South Africa later in the year, has made him one of the strong contenders for the honour.
While the 2025 recipient is yet to be announced, here’s a look at the cricketers who have claimed the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award over the last five years.
ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year: Last Five Winners
2019 – Rohit Sharma (India)
Rohit Sharma was crowned the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year after a sensational 2019 season. He was the standout performer in the ICC Cricket World Cup, smashing five centuries and finishing as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 648 runs, despite India’s semi-final exit.
2021 – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Pakistan captain Babar Azam won the award in 2021 after scoring 405 runs in six ODIs at a remarkable average of 67.50. His tally included two centuries and highlighted his consistency at the top level.
2022 – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Babar continued his dominance in the 50-over format in 2022, retaining the award with an even stronger performance. He amassed 679 runs during the year, averaging an outstanding 84.87.
2023 – Virat Kohli (India)
Virat Kohli enjoyed a historic ODI World Cup in 2023, breaking and surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the most centuries in the format. He ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 765 runs at an average of 95.62.
2024 – Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
Azmatullah Omarzai created history by becoming the first Afghan cricketer to win the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award. He played a vital all-round role, finishing as Afghanistan’s second-highest run-scorer and wicket-taker in ODIs that year.