The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will celebrate the achievements of Indian cricket stars and contributors at the prestigious Naman Awards 2026, scheduled to take place on 15 March 2026 in New Delhi. The annual ceremony recognises outstanding performances across international, domestic and age-group cricket while honouring individuals who have made lasting contributions to the sport.
At this year’s ceremony, cricket legends Roger Binny and Rahul Dravid will receive the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest honour given by the BCCI for exceptional service to Indian cricket. Meanwhile, former India women’s captain Mithali Raj will be honoured with the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in recognition of her remarkable impact on women’s cricket.
Roger Binny, a key member of India’s historic 1983 World Cup-winning team, played a crucial role in the tournament by finishing as its highest wicket-taker. Over the years, he has contributed to Indian cricket not only as a player but also as a coach, mentor and administrator. He coached India’s Under-19 team to victory in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2000 and later served as a national selector. Binny also held the position of 36th BCCI President from 2022 to 2025, guiding the organisation during an important period of growth.
Rahul Dravid, widely regarded as one of the finest batters in cricket history, built an extraordinary international career with over 24,000 runs across formats. Known for his technical excellence and calm leadership, Dravid played a major role in many of India’s historic victories. After retirement, he continued to shape Indian cricket as Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and later as head coach of the Indian men’s team. Under his guidance, India won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, marking a major achievement for the team.
Mithali Raj, one of the most iconic figures in women’s cricket, will receive the women’s lifetime achievement honour for her outstanding career spanning more than two decades. She remains the highest run-scorer in women’s One Day Internationals, with 7,805 runs at an average of over 50. As captain, she led India to two ICC Women’s World Cup finals and played a significant role in raising the profile of women’s cricket in the country.
Apart from lifetime honours, the Naman Awards will recognise outstanding performances during the 2024–25 cricket season. India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill will receive the Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men) for the second time, while Smriti Mandhana will win the Best International Cricketer (Women) award for the fifth time in her career.
In domestic cricket, Mumbai’s Ira Jadhav will receive the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer (Domestic) after an impressive season. Shafali Verma will be honoured as the Best Woman Cricketer in Senior Domestic One-Day tournaments. Meanwhile, Ayush Mhatre will receive the Lala Amarnath Award for Best All-Rounder in Domestic Limited-Overs Cricket, and Vidarbha’s Harsh Dubey will win the award for Best All-Rounder in the Ranji Trophy.
The Mumbai Cricket Association will also be recognised for its outstanding domestic performance after winning four trophies and finishing runner-up in two tournaments during the season.
One of the most special highlights of Naman Awards 2026 will be the felicitation of five Indian teams that won ICC trophies. These include the senior men’s team that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the senior women’s team that lifted the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, and both the men’s and women’s Under-19 teams that won the ICC Under-19 World Cups.
The Naman Awards continue to celebrate the legacy of Indian cricket while recognising the players, administrators and teams who are shaping the future of the sport in the country. 🏏
For the complete list of awards and winners, CLICK HERE
