By BV Swagath
Sri Lanka’s run machine Kumar Sangakkara has bagged three ICC awards today in Colombo. The biggest award of all was Sangakkara being honoured with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year 2012. The left-handed batsman also won the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year along with the People’s Choice prize.
Sangakkara got the Cricketer of the Year award ahead of Hashim Amla, Michael Clarke and Vernon Philander. The same players were nominated for the Test Player of the Year which they lost out to Sangakkara.
During the 12-month voting period – Kumar Sangakkkara had accumulated 1,444 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 60.16 with 5 centuries and 5 fifties. Sanga’s best performance during the period was a knock of 211 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi. Sangakkara also did well in the 37 ODIs played during the voting period in which he scored 1457 runs with 3 100s and 39 catches behind the stumps.
Upon receiving the awards, Sangakkara told that "This is an amazing honour and I've seen the people who have won it before me and the nominees too, to be named alongside them is wonderful." The former Lankan Skipper also said: “I'm continuing to ensure I am consistent and I need to keep raising the bar each year and keep trying harder and harder to ensure I keep playing good Test cricket. It's a constant battle but I have the support of a great team that helps me to do the best I can.” Sangakkara was presented the biggest of all awards – the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy from West Indian legend Brian Lara.
The previous winners of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Cricketer of the Year) are:
2004: Rahul Dravid
2005: Andrew Flintoff and Jacques Kallis (joint winners)
2006: Ricky Ponting
2007: Ricky Ponting
2008: Shivnarine Chanderpaul
2009: Mitchell Johnson
2010: Sachin Tendulkar
2011: Jonathan Trott
