Arshdeep Singh named the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year
Dubai, Jan 25 (PTI): Indian left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh was on Saturday crowned the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 for his influential role in the team's World Cup title triumph, which cemented his reputation as one of the leading short format bowlers.
The 25-year-old took 36 wickets in 18 matches last year.
He was also named in the ICC T20I Team of the Year 2024 earlier in the day alongside Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
In the T20 World Cup in the Americas, Arshdeep showcased his mastery in both powerplay and death bowling and ended the tournament as the joint highest wicket-taker alongside Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi with 17 scalps at an average of 12.64 across eight matches.
His standout performance was one of the major factors behind India's campaign culminating in a dramatic seven-run victory over South Africa in the final in Barbados.
In the final, he claimed 2/20, dismissing South African captain Aiden Markram early and breaking a threatening partnership by removing Quinton de Kock during the middle overs.
Tasked with bowling the penultimate over, Arshdeep conceded just four runs, setting the stage for Hardik Pandya to seal the win.
A Stellar Year
Arshdeep's T20I record in 2024 further underscores his dominance -- 36 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 15.31 and an economy rate of 7.49.
His strike rate of 10.80 was a testament to his wicket-taking prowess, especially given his challenging role in the powerplay and at the death.
Only four players in the world took more T20I wickets than Arshdeep in a calendar year – Saudi Arabia's Usman Najeeb (38), Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga (38), UAE's Junaid Siddique (40) and Hong Kong's Ehsan Khan (46) – with all four playing more matches. Of those bowlers, only Hasaranga featured for a full-member nation.
His best figures of the year, 4/9, came against the USA during the World Cup group stage, a performance emblematic of his brilliance on varied surfaces.
With 97 scalps, Arshdeep is now the highest wicket-taker in the format for India.
Since his international debut in 2022, Arshdeep has steadily risen as one of India's most reliable pacers.
Arshdeep had a number of impressive displays in the year, not least when he ripped through the USA in New York during the T20 World Cup group stage, bagging remarkable returns of 4/9 in his four overs.
But Arshdeep's most significant performance of the year came on the biggest stage of all, as he played a huge part in helping India successfully defend their total of 176 in the final in Barbados.
Excellent with the new ball up top, Arshdeep struck in the powerplay to have the dangerous South African skipper Markram caught behind in just the third over.
And when India were in need of a wicket in the middle overs it was Arshdeep that provided the breakthrough, dismissing a set Quinton de Kock when the Proteas looked to be in control of the chase.
India's collective effort at the death was astonishing as South Africa pulled up seven runs short of their target, and Arshdeep played a huge role in that, returning to the attack to bowl the penultimate over with South Africa requiring 20 from 12 deliveries.
Arshdeep delivered a near-perfect death over under the greatest pressure, conceding just four runs to leave Pandya with 16 runs to defend in the final over, a job that he spectacularly did.
Congratulations to Arshdeep Singh for being voted the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024.
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2025
May you keep winning more awards and wish you another year filled with lots of success 👏🙌#TeamIndia | @arshdeepsinghh pic.twitter.com/n8KG1QLyLJ
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Cong seeks thorough probe into Goa nightclub fire; Rahul alleges criminal failure of governance
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Sunday demanded a comprehensive investigation and strict accountability for the tragic fire at a nightclub in Goa that killed 25 people, with Rahul Gandhi claiming it was a criminal failure of safety and governance.
The fire broke out at Birch by Romeo Lane, a popular nightclub at Arpora village in North Goa, early Sunday, killing at least 25 people, including four tourists and 14 staff members, and injuring six others.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his deepest condolences to those who lost their loved ones in the blaze.
“This avoidable tragic incident is an irreparable loss, and I pray for the speedy recovery of all those who have been injured.
ALSO READ: https://english.varthabharati.in/india/25-killed-6-injured-in-fire-at-nightclub-in-goa
“Such tragedies call for a comprehensive investigation, strict accountability, and immediate steps to ensure that all fire safety norms are enforced, so that such devastating incidents are never repeated,” Kharge said in a post on X.
The veteran leader also appealed to all the Congress workers in the coastal region to extend every possible support and assistance to the affected families and stand with them in this hour of grief.
Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, said he was deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora.
“My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured. This is not just an accident; it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough, transparent probe must fix accountability and ensure such preventable tragedies don't occur again,” Gandhi said in an X post.
Congress general secretary in charge of organisation, K C Venugopal, sought fixing of accountability for the tragic blaze so that such incidents are not repeated.
"The fire at a night club in Arpora, Goa, is shocking and I convey my heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims who lost their lives.
"This tragedy took place because of the negligence of the authorities in enforcing fire safety norms. We urge a thorough and impartial investigation to identify those responsible and to ensure accountability, so that such a tragedy is never repeated," he said in a post on X.
Deeply pained by the tragic fire in Arpora, Goa that claimed more than 20 lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 7, 2025
This is not just an accident, it is a criminal failure of safety and governance. A thorough,…
