MARKRAM CLAIMS TOP HONOURS AT CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA AWARDS

Durban’s Super Giants captain Aiden Markram has been honoured with the most prestigious prizes in South African men’s cricket at the Cricket SA Awards in Sandton.

Markram, 31, capped a golden year with the SA Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards.

The top-order batter’s crowning individual moment arose when he struck a sublime second-innings century to lead the Proteas to the World Test Championship at Lord’s last year. He was also consistent across white-ball formats, finishing as the Proteas’ leading run-scorer with 286 runs at the ICC T20 World Cup earlier this year.

“Personally, I felt like I had a lot more in me. I think when you play so often, you probably get caught up with not being able to process things much and you just sort of move on to the next thing.

“Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. So, I'm really grateful for how things worked out. Again, each and every guy that was nominated could have got the award. So, it's not about winning these awards,” he said in typical humble fashion.

Markram claimed the award ahead of fellow nominees: MI Cape Town all-rounder Corbin Bosch and Pretoria Capitals duo Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj.

Despite missing out on the premier prize, Ngidi still enjoyed a hugely successful evening, with the seamer walking away with three awards, namely Men’s T20 Player of the Year, SA Fans' Player of the Year, and the Best Men’s Delivery of the Year.

Ngidi was the Proteas’ premier bowler at the T20 World Cup, where his variety and control earned him 12 wickets at an economy rate of just 7.19. His perfectly executed slower delivery against England’s Jos Buttler earned him recognition too.

Pretoria Capitals teammate Dewald Brevis was named International Men’s Newcomer of the Year, while Sunrisers Eastern Cape top-order batter Matthew Breetzke won the Men’s One-Day International Player of the Year.

Breetzke, who played a starring role in the Betway SA20 Season 4 Final, is the first player in ODI history to score in excess of 50 runs in each of his first five matches.

Joburg Super Kings batter Matthew de Villiers also won the CSA T20 Player of the Year, while his JSK teammate Duan Jansen won the CSA 1-Day Cup Player of the Year.

Durban’s Super Giants left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds was awarded the SACA Most Valuable Men’s Player of the Year.

Betway SA20 umpires Arno Jacobs and Lubabalo Gcuma were also honoured with the CSA Umpires’ Umpire of the Year and CSA Umpire of the Year awards, respectively, while MI Cape Town coach Robin Peterson won the Division 1 Coach of the Year.

Paarl Royals all-rounder Delano Potgieter claimed the Division 1 4-Day Series Player of the Year.

FULL LIST OF 2026 CSA AWARDS WINNERS

International Men’s Newcomer of the Year: Dewald Brevis (Pretoria Capitals)

Men’s T20I Player of the Year: Lungi Ngidi (Pretoria Capitals)

Men’s ODI Player Of The Year: Matthew Breetzke (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)

Men’s Test Player Of The Year: Simon Harmer (Durban’s Super Giants)

Men’s Players’ Player Of The Year: Aiden Markram (Durban’s Super Giants)

SA Men’s Player of the Year: Aiden Markram (Durban’s Super Giants)

SA20 Rising Star of the Season (U25): Jordan Hermann (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)

SA20 Bowler of the Season (most wickets): Ottneil Baartman (Paarl Royals)

SA20 Batter of the Season (most runs): Quinton de Kock (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)

SA20 Player of the Season (MVP): Quinton de Kock (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)

T20 Challenge Player of the Season: Matthew de Villiers (Joburg Super Kings)

Division 1 One-Day Cup Player of the Season: Duan Jansen (Joburg Super Kings)

Division 1 4-Day Domestic Series Player of the Season: Delano Potgieter (Paarl Royals)

CSA Umpires’ Umpire of the Year: Arno Jacobs

CSA Umpire of the Year: Lubablo Gcuma

Domestic Division 1 Coach of the Year: Robin Peterson (MI Cape Town)