Jasprit Bumrah, Poonam Yadav to be honoured with Polly Umrigar Award

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is all set to be awarded the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for the best international cricketer of the 2018-19 season in the men's category at the annual award ceremony of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Mumbai on Sunday. 

The 26-year-old, who is currently ranked at the number one spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI rankings for bowlers, made his international debut against Australia in January 2016 and since then he has never looked back. 

So far, he has bagged 62 wickets in 12 Tests, 103 wickets in 58 ODIs and 53 scalps in 44 matches he played in the shortest format of the game for the national side. He also bagged a five-wicket haul each in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies to become the first and only Asian bowler to achieve the same. 

Meanwhile, star leg-spinner Poonam Yadav will receive the biggest prize in the women's category. Yadav was recently also honoured with the Arjuna Award by President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of National Sports Day.

Former India skippers Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Anjum Chopra will receive Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award and the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women, respectively. 

Talking about the awards, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said that these awards are given to recognise the finest current on-field performances and honour the legendary cricketers.

“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," the BCCI official website quoted Ganguly as saying. 

BCCI secretary Jay Shah, on the other hand, revealed that the country's cricket board has introduced four new categories of awards. 

“The BCCI Awards are an important feature in India’s cricketing calendar, a mélange of aspiration and inspiration. We wanted to make Naman bigger and better and have introduced four new categories – highest run-getter and wicket-takers in WODIs and best international debut men and women – from this year. A total of 25 awards will be presented,' Shah stated. 

Notably, Srikanth was a part of the 1983 World Cup-winning Indian team. He smashed an attacking 38 and took on the fearsome West Indies' bowling attack in the low-scoring final at the Lord’s. He had also served as the captain of India besides taking charge as the chief selector of the national side post-retirement. 

Anjum, on the other hand, was undoubtedly one of the finest batswomen.  In a career spanning 17 years, Anjum had appeared in 127 ODIs, 12 Tests and 18 T20Is for India. She is also the first Indian women cricketer to feature in 100 ODIs. Anjum has also represented India in four 50-over World Cups and two T20 World Cup.