Pat Cummins, Sciver-Brunt named Wisden’s leading cricketers

Wisden Almanack has named Australian skipper Pat Cummins the world’s best men’s cricketer, while Nat Sciver-Brunt of England was declared the best women’s cricketer on Tuesday.

Cummins was recognised by Wisden for a stellar 2023 in which the fast bowler led Australia to a World Test Championship (WTC) final win over India.

Wisden also named five Cricketers of the Year, an award that can only be won once in a career and is generally based on performances in the previous English season.

Three of the latest recipients – Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Ashleigh Gardner, are all Australia internationals and played in the men’s and women’s Ashes last year.

In Pat Cummins’ captaincy, Australia retained the Ashes before he captained them to their record sixth ODI World Cup title, defeating undefeated India in the final in Ahmedabad. The 30-year-old paceman was the first Australian to win this award since Michael Clarke in 2012.

“After captaining Australia to success in the World Test Championship, Pat Cummins retained the Ashes – thanks in no small part to his late-order runs in the first Test at Edgbaston – then led Australia to victory in the World Cup final in India,” said Wisden editor Lawrence Booth.

Nat Sciver-Brunt was named the leading women’s cricketer in the world after three ODI hundreds in five Ashes innings.