At the Australian Cricket Awards held on Monday, Travis Head emerged as the Allan Border Medal winner, making him the best cricketer of the year in Australia. The player had an outstanding season across all three formats, with 1,427 runs during the eligibility period. His consistent performance fetched him 208 votes ahead of other nominees such as Josh Hazlewood, who had 158 votes, and Pat Cummins, who had 147 votes.
Head’s consistency in all formats was praised, and the 31-year-old expressed his joy in a recorded interview from Galle: “Pretty hard to believe. It’s been a good year. Very pleased I’ve been able to fit in, do a role, and lucky I’ve been able to play all formats. It’s a nice accomplishment, and I’ll enjoy it.”
Head received the Allan Border Medal in addition to receiving the Men’s ODI Player-of-the-Year. Despite playing in only five of the 11 ODIs during the voting period, Head’s outstanding 154* against England at Trent Bridge was a highlight of his year, cementing his place in the top spot. This knocked him ahead of Alex Carey, Steve Smith, and Xavier Bartlett for the ODI honor.
Belinda Clark Medal Claimed by Annabel Sutherland
Annabel Sutherland, the 23-year-old young all-rounder, was awarded the Belinda Clark Medal during the Australian Cricket Awards for the first time. The youngster had an outstanding year, with the 210 that she scored against South Africa at WACA at the start of the year and then went on to post a brilliant 163 in the Ashes.
She garnered 168 votes and won over Ashleigh Gardner, who was at 143 votes, and Beth Mooney, at 115 votes. “Pretty surreal. To win an award named after Belinda Clark is pretty special,” she said while receiving the award. Her overall outstanding performances this year made her the best female cricketer in Australia.
Josh Hazlewood Claims Men’s Test Player-of-the-Year
Josh Hazlewood of Australia was voted the Men’s Test Player-of-the-Year. He had an exceptional year taking 30 Test wickets at an average of just 13.16. His efforts against West Indies, New Zealand, and India have greatly contributed to the success of the Test matches of Australia. It was his first Australian Cricket Award.
Sam Konstas Receives Young Cricketer of the Year
Rising star Sam Konstas was rewarded with the title of Young Cricketer of the Year following an impressive Border-Gavaskar Trophy debut. The 19-year-old made an immediate impact by scoring 113 runs in the last two Tests of the series, including a memorable 60 off 65 balls on debut. His breakthrough performance against India where he dismissed the pacer Jasprit Bumrah famously had him as the overnight sensation and Australia won the series 3-1.
Mitchell Marsh steals the show with funny story
Although the big-ticket award function was missing most of the major players who had left for the ongoing Test series in Sri Lanka, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh brought about some much-needed comic relief for the evening. Marsh narrated a funny incident involving his four-year-old nephew, Ted, who had taken to mimicking Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling action at a backyard cricket session. It had the crowd in stitches.
Other Award Winners at the Australian Cricket Awards
Ashleigh Gardner has been named the Women’s ODI Player of the Year. Gardner was the leading run-scorer in the format for Australia with 385 runs. She has gone on to have a great record in the 50-over format.
Beth Mooney has again been crowned the Women’s T20 Player of the Year. Mooney was the third highest run-scorer during the eligibility period, scoring 618 runs. Consistency in T20s has been a major strength for Australian cricket.
Adam Zampa was awarded the Men’s T20I Player of the Year after 35 wickets in 21 T20Is and by beating Travis Head with three votes.
Community Impact Award: Cameron Green for his work to raise awareness about kidney disease and prove his commitment off the field.
Hall of Fame Inductions
Other inductions included the three legendary figures into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame: Michael Clarke, Michael Bevan, and Christina Matthews. These are people who were recognized for outstanding contributions to cricket in Australia.
Australian Cricket Awards 2025 were celebrations for both the men’s and women’s cricketers where individual performances during various formats came under the scanner. Stand-out individual performances mixed with humor make for an amazing night that resonates with the spirit and passion of Australian cricketing hearts. With each day, the progress in the calendar further cements their hold in Australia as well as in international arenas.