Johannesburg – August 1, 2025
South Africa’s top cricketing talent was honoured on Thursday night at the annual Cricket South Africa (CSA) Awards, with left-arm spinners Keshav Maharaj and Nonkululeko Mlaba earning the highest accolades as Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year, respectively, for the 2024–25 season.
The awards reflected a successful campaign for South African cricket, highlighted by memorable performances at both the men’s and women’s T20 World Cups, a productive home summer, and notable individual milestones during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. The evaluation period notably excluded the historic World Test Championship final victory, with those feats set to be considered at next year’s awards.
Maharaj’s Consistent Brilliance Recognised
Keshav Maharaj’s outstanding contributions across formats were central to South Africa’s red-ball dominance and their competitive edge in the shorter formats. He claimed 40 wickets in just seven Tests between August 2024 and January 2025—featuring twin four-wicket hauls against the West Indies and match-defining spells in Chattogram and Gqeberha.
In the T20 arena, Maharaj continued to demonstrate his value, ending the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup as South Africa’s third-highest wicket-taker. His consistency, leadership, and versatility made him a deserving recipient of the CSA Men’s Player of the Year award.
While the marquee awards eluded some of South Africa’s other high-profile names due to the timing of the judging period, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada received strong recognition from his peers, being named the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year.
Mlaba Dominates Women’s Awards
It was a landmark evening for Nonkululeko Mlaba, who swept four major honours, including Women’s Player of the Year, Women’s Players’ Player of the Year, Women’s T20I Player of the Year, and the Women’s Best Delivery of the Year.
Mlaba played a pivotal role in South Africa’s run to the final of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, taking 12 wickets—second only to New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr. In December, she etched her name into the history books by becoming the first South African woman to take 10 wickets in a Test match, with a remarkable return of 10 for 157 against England. She now stands as South Africa’s second-highest wicket-taker in women’s Test cricket.
Bavuma and Klaasen Honoured for Red and White Ball Form
Test captain Temba Bavuma was named Men’s Test Player of the Year for his influential centuries at home against Sri Lanka (Durban) and Pakistan (Cape Town), which helped South Africa secure a place in the World Test Championship final. Bavuma also earned the SA Fans’ Player of the Year award, highlighting his popularity and leadership impact during the season.
Veteran Heinrich Klaasen, who recently retired from international cricket, was recognised as the Men’s ODI Player of the Year. His standout performances against Pakistan made him South Africa’s leading run-scorer in a quiet 50-over season.
Nortje and Baartman awarded in T20 Cricket
Speedster Anrich Nortje was named the Men’s T20I Player of the Year after a stellar T20 World Cup campaign in which he led South Africa’s bowling attack. Fellow paceman Ottneil Baartman, who made headlines with his economy and composure in the same tournament, was named Men’s Newcomer of the Year.
Emerging Talent in the Women’s Game
Rising star Annerie Dercksen was awarded Women’s ODI Player of the Year after a breakthrough season, including a standout tri-series against India and Sri Lanka where she topped the run charts and notched her maiden ODI century. Fast bowler Ayanda Hlubi was named Women’s Newcomer of the Year for her promising displays and growing presence in the national setup.
Celebrating Cricket’s Broader Impact
Nandre Burger claimed the award for Men’s Best Delivery, while the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award—a recognition of contribution beyond the boundary—went to experienced seamer Dane Paterson for his role in inspiring young cricketers and embodying the spirit of the game.
2025 CSA Awards – Major Winners:
Category | Winner(s) |
Men’s Player of the Year | Keshav Maharaj |
Women’s Player of the Year | Nonkululeko Mlaba |
Men’s Players’ Player of the Year | Kagiso Rabada |
Test Player of the Year | Temba Bavuma |
ODI Player of the Year | Heinrich Klaasen |
T20I Player of the Year | Anrich Nortje |
Men’s Newcomer of the Year | Ottneil Baartman |
Women’s ODI Player of the Year | Annerie Dercksen |
Women’s T20I Player of the Year | Nonkululeko Mlaba |
Women’s Newcomer of the Year | Ayanda Hlubi |
Women’s Players’ Player of the Year | Nonkululeko Mlaba |
SA Fans’ Player of the Year | Temba Bavuma |
Women’s Best Delivery | Nonkululeko Mlaba |
Men’s Best Delivery | Nandre Burger |
Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award | Dane Paterson |
As South African cricket reflects on a season of progress, emerging talent, and strong international campaigns, the evening served as a celebration of both excellence and resilience across formats and levels. With the World Test Championship crown already secured, attention now turns to building on this momentum for another standout year in 2025–26.
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