Every year, ICC comes up with a list of its ideal ODI and Test teams of the year, which is based on the performance of cricketers around the world throughout the year.
ICC has released its team of the year for 2018, and guess who has been named the captain in both teams? Virat Kohli, of course.
Virat has enjoyed quite a streak, with 1,322 runs in his kitty at an average rate of 55.08. He also scores 5 centuries in thirteen test matches.
Rishabh Pant has also been named as ICC’s emerging cricketer for the year 2018.
This is the ICC Test team of the year:
1. Tom Latham (New Zealand)
2. Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka)
3. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
4. Virat Kohli (India) (captain)
5. Henry Nicholls (New Zealand)
6. Rishabh Pant (India)
7. Jason Holder (Windies)
8. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
9. Nathan Lyon (Australia)
10. Jasprit Bumrah (India)
11. Mohammad Abbas (Pakistan)
India recently also won the ODI Series against Australia, 2-1, in a historic win. Virat, in other words has proved his worth, and the ICC agrees. This is the team of the year for the ODI series:
1. Rohit Sharma (India)
2. Jonny Bairstow (England)
3. Virat Kohli (India)
4. Joe Root (England)
5. Ross Taylor (New Zealand)
6. Jos Buttler (England) (wk)
7. Ben Stokes (England)
8. Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)
9. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
10. Kuldeep Yadav (India)
11. Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Virat Kohli also won the awards for ICC Men’s Cricketer Of The Year, ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year.
The ICC Fans Moment of the Year was reserved for India’s victory in the Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand.
Kumar Dharmasena won the award for ICC Umpire of the Year.Aaron Finch won the award for ICC Men’s T20I Performance of the Year for his 172 runs against Zimbabwe.
Guess that means Virat Kohli really did win hearts all over.