Sport

It’s very special, says Dhoni

Dubai: Not alien to records and milestones, Mahendra Singh Dhoni grabbed one more on Wednesday night when he became the first Indian to win the ICC ODI Player of the Year award and the star wicketkeeper-batsman is relishing it.

“It feels great to know that I am the first Indian player to get this particular award and it’s very special because now I am in the company of a lot of other good cricketers,” said an elated Dhoni.

“Some fantastic players have won this award in the past and to be mentioned in their company is truly a humbling experience for me,” said the Indian ODI and Twenty20 captain.

During the voting period, Dhoni played 39 ODIs and scored 1,298 runs at an average of 49.92 and at a rate of 82.46 runs per 100 balls faced. In that time he hit a century and nine fifties, making sure he led his team from the front.

Also in that time, the wicketkeeper in him captured 62 dismissals — 46 catches and 16 stumpings — which is almost twice as many as the next best.

Currently ranked No. 1 in the ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen, Dhoni thanked all for standing by him.

“I would like to thank the ICC, my home cricket board, my family, my teammates and friends.”

Dhoni also featured in the ICC ODI Team of the Year, picked by the ICC selection panel.

Meanwhile, Yuvraj Singh has said winning the inaugural Twenty20 International Performance of the Year Award was icing on the cake but even getting nominated for the honour was a big honour in itself.

The flamboyant left-hander became the first winner of the newly introduced award for his amazing six sixes in a Stuart Broad over during the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa.

“For me, it was very important just to get nominated,” a beaming Yuvraj said after collecting his award from former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga.

According to the LG ICC Awards Voting Academy, Yuvraj’s effort was the most impressive performance of the past 12 months.

Yuvraj said the award meant a lot for him. “It’s very important for any player to get his performance recognised.”

Recalling the eventful over, the Indian said he could sense history when he had hit his fifth straight six.

“After the fifth six in that over I remember having butterflies in my stomach and I knew that if I managed to hit it for six it would be very special. It was a great feeling when I saw the ball go over the boundary.”

The awards: Cricketer of the Year: Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); Test Player of the Year: Dale Steyn (RSA); ODI Player of the Year: Mahendra Singh Doni (Ind); Emerging Player of the Year: Ajantha Mendis (SL); T20 International Performance of the Year: Yuvraj Singh (Ind); Associate Player of the Year: Ryan ten Doeschate (Ned); Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Charlotte Edwards (Eng); Umpire of the Year: Simon Taufel (Aus).

Spirit of Cricket: Sri Lanka.

ICC Test Team of the Year: Graeme Smith (RSA, capt), Virender Sehwag (Ind), Mahela Jayawardene (SL), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI), Kevin Pietersen (Eng), Jacques Kallis (RSA), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), Brett Lee (Aus), Ryan Sidebottom (Eng), Dale Steyn (RSA), Muttiah Muralitharan (SL). 12th man: Stuart Clark (Aus)

ICC ODI Team of the Year: Herschelle Gibbs (RSA), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Ricky Ponting (Aus, capt), Younis Khan (Pak), Andrew Symonds (Aus), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind, wk), Farveez Maharoof (SL), Daniel Vettori (Nzl), Brett Lee (Aus), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Nathan Bracken (Aus). 12th man: Salman Butt (Pak). — Agencies

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu