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MUMBAI: At a glittering function at UB City in Bengaluru, the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 tonight honoured the outstanding performances by cricketers in domestic Twenty20 competitions from across the world over the past year.
Significantly, just one of the award winners is not participating in the Airtel Champions League Twenty20.
That award Highest Individual Score went to Hampshire?s Michael Lumb for his electrifying 124 runs against Essex, an innings which took just 69 balls.
Also receiving awards tonight were Brad Hodge (most runs - cumulative), Anil Kumble (best bowling figures - match), Manish Pandey (best batting average ? season), Hamish Rutherford (best batting strike rate ? season), Samuel Badree (best bowling economy - season), Dirk Nannes (most wickets - cumulative) and Isura Udana (best bowling strike rate - season)
Lalit Modi, Airtel Champions League Twenty20 Chairman, commenting on the new awards specific to Twenty20 cricket said: ?The performances by these cricketers have captured the imagination of audiences worldwide and added to the popularity of the game and a phenomenal increase in the fans following globally. The fact that seven out of the eight awardees will be playing in the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 is testament to the quality of players who will contest the inaugural edition of the tournament starting tomorrow. I congratulate all the winners and hope that these awards will inspire domestic cricketers worldwide to perform even better and help take Twenty20 cricket to the next level.?
Manu Sawhney, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports, the Global Commercial Rights Partner to the Airtel Champions League Twenty20, further added, ?The Airtel Champions League Twenty20 is a marquee global tournament where only the best-of-the-best are set to compete for the ultimate honour. These awards recognise the stellar performances of cricketers in domestic competitions from all over the world. They represent the lifeline of this game that we all love. I am certain that the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 will provide immense support for the pipeline of cricket development, and that the global broadcast of this event will further the passion for cricket the world over.?
Diminutive Manish Pandey, of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, took the honours for the Best Batting Average with a tally of 168 runs at an average of 84. It was the 19-year-old Pandey?s heroics with Rahul Dravid in the IPL Semi Final that propelled the Royal Challengers Bangalore over the M.S. Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings.
Hamish Rutherford of the Otago Volts won the award for the Best Batting Strike Rate (167.94 with an aggregate of 220 runs). Victorian Bushrangers and Kolkata Knight Riders right-handed batsmen Brad Hodge earned the distinction of bagging the Most Runs (cumulative) for the two teams with a total of 627 runs in the season.
The Best Bowling Figures in a Match award was won by Indian spin legend and captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Anil Kumble, for his effort against the Rajasthan Royals during Season 2009 of the Indian Premier League in South Africa. Kumble led from the front with a fantastic spell of 5-5 that scuttled the Royals.
The Best Bowling Strike Rate award went to Isura Udana of the Wayamba Elevens with a high strike rate of eight and a tally of 16 wickets, while the Best Bowling Economy in a Season was captured by Samuel Badree of Trinidad & Tobago with 4.33 runs. Victorian Bushranger and Delhi Daredevil Dirk Nannes won the Most Wickets Award for his 27 scalps in the IPL and Twenty20 Big Bash.
