ICC Award nomination surprises Ramjani

Senior national men’s cricket team all-rounder Alpesh Ramjani believes he had an incredible but to be shortlisted for International Cricket Council (ICC) Awards 2023, he did not expect it.

The left-hand batter and also slow left-arm orthodox bowler was humbled after ICC announced him on the four-man shortlist for the Men’s T20 International Cricketer of the Year Award.

“It’s great to get this acknowledgment,” said Ramjani. “No never, I did not expect it but yes it’s great,” the 29-year-old said.

He found his way into the Cricket Cranes’ set-up in 2022 but he gained a starting role and last year, he scored 449 runs at a strike rate of 132.44 in 20 innings of 30 T20I matches.

Ramjani stood out most with the ball after he took 55 wickets - the highest tally across the world in T20Is - and he had an enviable economy of 4.77, taking a wicket almost after every 11 deliveries. 

His country-mate Henry Ssenyondo, another orthodox bowler, came second with 49 wickets at an economy of 5.32.

Ramjani will pursue the accolade against New Zealand Black Caps’ all-rounder Mark Chapman, 2022 award winner Indian Suryakumar Yadav and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza.

“Well, those guys are legends. And I feel privileged to stand with them,” said Ramjani. “The nomination is definitely a motivation and inspiration to do well.”

A part of Ramjani’s efforts last year played a big role in helping Uganda to qualify for the ICC T20 World Cup due June in the West Indies and the USA.

Ramjani acknowledges the victory over ICC Full Member Zimbabwe during the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Windhoek, Namibia late last year stood out.

In that match on November 26, Ramjani conceded 24 runs in three overs as Zimbabwe set 136-7 but with the bat, he walked in at four and made a quick-fire 40 runs off 26 balls including four boundaries and two sixes enroute to a historic five-wicket victory.

“That was the decisive match and the best one,” Ramjani said of the T20I matches across 2023.

There are eight countries represented on the shortlists for the four awards and only Ramjani and Scotland’s Darcey Carter, who is going for the Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year Award, come from ICC Associate Nations.

ICC will announce five more shortlists, all determined by a specialist panel of cricket writers and broadcasters. Then, fan votes online will be tallied together with selections by the ICC Voting Academy before winners are announced.

There will also be awards for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Associate Cricketers of the Year, the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award, and the ICC Umpire of the Year for a total 13 accolades.

ICC AWARDS 2023 - AWARD NOMINEES

ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year; Mark Chapman (New Zealand), Alpesh Ramjani (Uganda), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Suryakumar Yadav (India)

ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year; Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Sophie Ecclestone (England), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Ellyse Perry (Australia)

ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year; Gerald Coetzee (South Africa), Yashasvi Jaiswal (India), Dilshan Madushanka (Sri Lanka), Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)

ICC Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year; Marufa Akter (Bangladesh), Lauren Bell (England), Darcey Carter (Scotland), Phoebe Litchfield (Australia)

ALPESH RAMJANI AT A GLANCE

Full Name: Alpesh Ravilal Ramjani

Nickname: ‘Alpie’

Born: September 24, 1994

Age: 29 years & 102 days

Batting Style: Left-hand bat

Bowling Style: Slow left-arm orthodox

Jersey Number: 69

2023 T20 International Statistics: 449 runs in 20 innings and 55 wickets for economy of 4.77 (30 matches)