Virat Kohli has won the International Cricket Council (ICC)'s Men's ODI Cricketer Of The Year 2023 award. The same was announced by the world cricket governing body on Thursday (January 25). Kohli had a stellar 2023 which saw him beat Sachin Tendulkar's record of the most number of ODI hundreds on his way to top-scoring in the 2023 ODI World Cup, a tournament in which he scored 765 runs at an average of 95.62 to emerge as the Player Of The Tournament.
This is the fourth time Kohli has been recognised with the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer Of The Year award, the most by any player. Kohli broke South African legend AB de Villiers' record with whom he was tied with 3 such awards but Kohli managed to went past the Protean great on the back of a superb run in 2023.
In a remarkable span of 12 months, Kohli scored 1377 runs, took 27 catches and even scalped a wicket. His splendid form powered India through to the ICC Men's ODI World Cup final at home. In the summit clash too, Kohli scored a half-century against Australia. However, it eventually proved to be insufficient as Australia thrashed India in the final to snatch Kohli and Rohit Sharma-led India's moment of glory.
Six centuries, eight half-centurues in 24 ODI Innings For Kohli In 2023
Kohli's 1377 ODI runs came at an average of 72.47. The right-handed batting star scored six centuries and eight half-centries in 24 innings in ODI cricket in 2023. Perhaps his most memorable performance of the year, also acknowledged by the ICC, came in the semifinals of the 2023 ODI World Cup where he scored a sensational hundred to help India reach the final.
India had got knocked out at the hands of the same opposition in the semifinals in the 2019 edition of the World Cup which made Kohli's match-winning ton all the more special at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India’s batting spine smashed at least a half-century in nine of his 11 innings at the World Cup which goes on to showcase his dominance as his eventually tally in the ICC tournament is the new benchmark for most runs scored in a single edition of the World Cup, going past none other than his idol Tendulkar.