Kumar Sangakkara rocks at LG ICC Awards 2012

By Fathima Zanaida

Kumar Sangakkara rocks at LG ICC Awards 2012

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (TheSportsNext) September 15, 2012: Former Sri Lankan cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara enjoyed the night of his lifetime here in Colombo on Saturday when he won in three categories of the LG ICC Awards 2012 but officials of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) boycotted the ceremony on Saeed Ajmal snub.

Star of the night Kumar Sangakkara clinched the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award, the LG People’s Choice Award, as well as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award.

Kumar Sangakkara had an exceptional last year in world cricket as the Sri Lankan wicketkeeper and top order batsman amassed 1,444 runs at a rollicking average of 60.16 in 14 Test matches besides hitting 1,457 runs in 37 One Day Internationals hitting three hundreds. He also got hold of 39 catches as well as three stumpings during the period under review.

Talking to reporters here, Kumar Sangakkara, who received the Test Cricketer of the Year award from West Indies legend Brian Lara said, “This is an amazing honour and I’ve seen the people who have won it before me and the nominees too, to be named alongside them is wonderful. I admire them greatly and even more so when I looked up at their records on the screen this evening. It’s great to be amongst them but now to receive this honour this evening, is simply fantastic.”

He stated, “I’m continuing to ensure I am consistent and I need to keep raising the bar each year and keep trying harder and harder to ensure I keep playing good Test cricket. It’s a constant battle but I have the support of a great team that helps me do the best I can.”

Kumar Dharmasena with David Shepherd Trophy 2012

On the other hand, Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez and world renowned cricket umpire Aleem Dar, Pakistan’s only two nominees at the ICC Awards 2012 failed to win the awards in their respective categories.

Pakistan’s T20 skipper Mohammad Hafeez was nominated for the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award while Aleem Dar, who had been winning the David Shepherd Trophy for the last three years, was nominated in the Umpire of the Year award category.

Daniel Vettori with ICC Spirit of Cricket Award

Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori won the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award while Sri Lankan umpire Kumar Dharmasena surprisingly claimed Umpire of the Year award.

Former West Indian legendary batsman Brian Lara and Enid Bakewell were formerly inducted in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the event.

As far as the other award winners are concerned, ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Award went to Stafanie Taylor of West Indies while Sarah Taylor of England won the ICC Women’s T20 Cricketer of the Year Award.

India’s Virat Kohli won the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award while the ICC T20 Performance of the Year Award went to South Africa’s Richard Levi for his 117 not out against New Zealand.

The ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year Award winner was George Dockrell of Ireland while West Indian off-spinner Sunil Narine won the ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year Award.