Sport

Lefties reign supreme at CSA Awards with Nonkululeko Mlaba and Keshav Maharaj crowned

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Zaahier Adams|Published

Proteas spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba scooped four awards, including the prestigious SA Women's Cricketer of the Year, at Emperors Palace on Thursday evening. Picture: AFP

Image: AFP

Johannesburg — Nonkululeko Mlaba was the Queen of the Night at a glittering Cricket SA Awards at the Emperors Palace on Thursday evening. 

The Proteas Women’s star scooped four prestigious prizes after being crowned SA Women’s Player of the Year, Women’s Players Player of the Year, T20 Player of the Year and Women’s Best Delivery Fuelled by KFC. 

Mlaba, who is nicknamed Lefty, was consistent across all formats, starring with the ball in Proteas’ solitary Test match, claiming a maiden 10-wicket haul, while she also bagged 15 ODI wickets at an average of 22, and a further 16 T20I wickets at 18.62. 

She spearheaded the Proteas’ charge to a successive ICC T20 World Cup final in the UAE last year, where the left-arm spinner finished as the tournament’s second top wicket-taker with 12 scalps at an average of 11.33. Mlaba broke the record for the most wickets by a South African at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Fellow left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was once again overcome with emotion when he was named Cricket SA’s Men’s Player of the Year for the second time in three seasons. 

Maharaj pipped fellow nominees Temba Bavuma, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton and Marco Jansen after snaring 40 Test wickets at 20.57.

The 35-year-old played just three ODI’s during the judging period, but also enjoyed a solid T20 season with 14 wickets at 22.21.

Bavuma, who was strong contender for the premier prize in South African cricket, was awarded the Test Player of the Year and SA Fans Player of the Year.

Rabada, meanwhile, was honoured by his teammates as the Players Player of the Year, while the white-ball awards were divided between Heinrich Klaasen (ODI Cricketer of the Year), Anrich Nortje (T20 Cricketer of the Year) and Ottniel Baartman (International Newcomer of the Year).

Seamer Ayanda Hlubi won the corresponding Women’s International Newcomer of the Year award, while impressive allrounder Annerie Dercksen walked away with the ODI Player of the Year prize.

CSA PROTEAS AWARDS 2024/25 WINNERS 

MEN

INTERNATIONAL NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 

  • Ottneil Baartman  

T20 INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Anrich Nortje 

ODI PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Heinrich Klaasen  

TEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Temba Bavuma  

PLAYERS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Kagiso Rabada  

SA PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Keshav Maharaj 

WOMEN

INTERNATIONAL NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR 

  • Ayanda Hlubi  

T20 INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Nonkululeko Mlaba  

ODI PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Annerie Dercksen 

PLAYERS' PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Nonkululeko Mlaba  

SA PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

  • Nonkululeko Mlaba 

OTHER CATEGORIES 

MEN’S BEST DELIVERY FUELLED BY KFC  

  • Nandre Burger to Mikyle Louis – WIvSA 2nd Test 15 - 17 August | WI 1st innings 1.6 overs 

WOMEN’S BEST DELIVERY FUELLED BY KFC  

  • Nonkululeko Mlaba to Sobhana Mostary | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024