Two eye-catching performers celebrate the Associate accolades in the ICC Awards 2022, as Namibia’s influential leader Gerhard Erasmus claims the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year award, and the UAE’s all-round starlet Esha Oza secures the ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year award.

Erasmus became a familiar figure following Namibia’s historic campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2021, and he built on this success to find plenty of success in the shorter formats last year. From his captaincy in Namibia’s upset over Sri Lanka in their opening T20WC 2022 fixture, to his match-winning unbeaten 121 against Oman to claim a vital Cricket World Cup League 2 victory, his 2022 was littered with success. Individually, he ended the year as the leading ODI run scorer around the globe, with 956 runs at an impressive 56.23 average.

Speaking on his accolade, Erasmus commented, “It is a great honour to win the award as ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year amongst a growing group of coveted cricketers. Associate cricket continues to push the level of cricket closer to that of higher ranked teams. 

“The standard has never been higher, and I’m therefore delighted to have won this award with my on-field performances. A huge credit also to our management and my teammates.”

Claiming the Women’s Associate award following a superb 2022, UAE’s batting all-rounder Oza scored 675 runs in T20Is during 2022, including two big centuries. Her accomplishments at the crease meant the 24-year-old was the second-highest run scorer in the format for the year in women’s internationals. Not limited to just her batting achievements, Oza also took 15 wickets through the year at 15.40, highlighting her prowess at both disciplines of the international game. 

Oza reacted to her award win by saying, “I feel deeply honoured to receive the ICC Women’s Associate Cricketer of the Year 2022 award. I was delightfully awestruck and couldn’t believe my ears. 

“2022 was a great year for me as a player as well as for us as a team. It feels great to be rewarded for all the hard work and this award also acknowledges the immense motivation and guidance received from family, teammates, coaches and Emirates Cricket. I will cherish this moment forever and I would like to thank each and every one who made this possible. I will keep giving my best to the game.”