BCCI Celebrates Cricketing Excellence at Naman Awards 2026

Celebration of India’s cricket achievements

BCCI Celebrates Cricketing Excellence at Naman Awards 2026: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) organised the Naman Awards 2026 in New Delhi to honour the achievements of Indian cricket teams and players. The event recognised performances from the 2024–25 cricket season across international and domestic competitions.

Several outstanding cricketers, legendary personalities and emerging talents were honoured during the ceremony. The awards highlighted India’s dominance in global cricket across men’s, women’s and youth categories.

Static GK fact: The BCCI, established in 1928, is the governing body for cricket in India and is headquartered in Mumbai.

Recognition for World Cup winning teams

During the ceremony, the BCCI felicitated five Indian teams that recently secured major international titles. These victories demonstrate the strong talent pipeline developed through India’s domestic and youth cricket systems.

The recognised achievements included victories in the ICC Under-19 Women’s World Cup, ICC Under-19 Men’s World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy, Women’s ODI World Cup, and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. These accomplishments highlight India’s growing dominance in both men’s and women’s international cricket.

The honouring of multiple teams also reflected the increasing strength of junior cricket development programmes in the country.

Static GK Tip: The International Cricket Council (ICC), headquartered in Dubai, governs global cricket tournaments including the Cricket World Cup and T20 World Cup.

Shubman Gill and Smriti Mandhana honoured

Young batting star Shubman Gill received the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men) for the 2024–25 season. Gill was recognised for his consistent run-scoring performances and leadership responsibilities in India’s Test and ODI teams.

Smriti Mandhana won the Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Women). This marked the fifth time she has received the honour, demonstrating her continued excellence in international cricket.

Mandhana also finished as the highest run-scorer in Women’s One Day Internationals during the season, reinforcing her status as one of the most dependable batters in women’s cricket.

Static GK fact: The Polly Umrigar Award is named after Polly Umrigar, a former Indian cricket captain who played 59 Test matches for India between 1948 and 1962.

Lifetime honours for cricket legends

The Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour presented by the BCCI, was conferred on Roger Binny and Rahul Dravid. Both individuals have made significant contributions to Indian cricket as players, coaches and administrators.

Former Indian women’s captain Mithali Raj received the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women. She remains one of the most influential figures in the history of women’s cricket in India.

Static GK fact: Colonel C. K. Nayudu was the first captain of the Indian Test cricket team during India’s debut Test match in 1932 against England at Lord’s.

Recognition for domestic performers

Apart from international stars, several domestic cricketers were also recognised for their performances in major Indian tournaments. Awards were given to the highest run-scorers, leading wicket-takers and outstanding all-round performers in competitions such as the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Merchant Trophy, Cooch Behar Trophy, and Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy.

Young players including Harshit Rana and N. Sree Charani were acknowledged for making their international debuts, reflecting the steady emergence of new talent in Indian cricket.

The awards highlight the crucial role played by India’s domestic cricket structure in identifying and nurturing future international stars.

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