Anrich Nortje, Shabnim Ismail named South Africa men's and women's Cricketer of the Year

Anrich Nortje. Pic/AFP

Proteas pacer Anrich Nortje and Shabnim Ismail were named South Africa men's and women's Cricketer of the Year in their respective categories at CSA's virtual awards ceremony on Monday.

Shabnim was also named Momentum women's T20 International Cricketer of the Year and South Africa women's Players' Player of the Year.

Nortje achieved similar success, being named Test Cricketer of the Year, South Africa Fans' Cricketer of the Year, and sharing in a tied vote with Aiden Markram the South Africa Men's Players' Player of the Year.

Having previously won the women's premier award in 2015, Ismail joins Marizanne Kapp (2013/14) and Dane van Niekerk (2016/18/19) as multiple winners in the professional era.

"Anrich and Shabnim have set the highest standards that we expect from our icon Proteas players. Anrich's international career to date has been remarkable," said CSA acting chief executive Pholetsi Moseki in an official statement.

"In the space of a year he has gone from being named our International Newcomer of the Year to our overall Player of the Year - an incredible achievement. The pandemic has restricted him to just 10 Test matches to date in which he has taken 39 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls," she added.

Nortje becomes the 12th player to win the premier men's award and created his own piece of history by being named International Newcomer of the Year and Men's Cricketer of the Year in successive years.

"His strike rate of 48.50 is comfortably within the benchmark number that defines the world's leading bowlers; he has also delivered the fastest delivery ever of the Indian Premier League in which the cream of the world's talent goes head to head," said Moseki.

"Shabnim has played a huge role in enabling our Momentum Proteas to break into the top group of countries with a world ranking of No. 2 in the ODI format," she added.

Lizelle Lee won the Streetwise Award for her brilliant century in the ODI series against India. Lee was also named Momentum One-Day International Cricketer of the Year.

With Nortje winning the SA Fans' Player of the Year, which was decided by an online poll, the third award available to all, the CSA Delivery of the Year, went to Wiaan Mulder for dismissing Kusal Mendis with the aid of a catch by Rassie van der Dussen in the second Test match against Sri Lanka.

Van der Dussen was honoured with the One-Day International Cricketer of the Year award while Tabraiz Shamsi was named T20 Cricketer of the Year and George Linde the Men's International Newcomer of the Year.

Ottniel Baartman was named as the inaugural winner of the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award.

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