Aiden Markram and Laura Wolvaardt headline Cricket South Africa Awards 2026 with top honours

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The glamorous Sandton Convention Centre transformed into a theatre of celebration last night as Cricket South Africa (CSA) hosted its annual awards ceremony. Recognizing the brightest stars who illuminated the international circuit during the 2025–2026 eligibility window, the evening paid tribute to iconic triumphs, grit, and standard-setting performances across all formats.

From unforgettable individual World Cup heroics to standard-setting historic triumphs on the red-ball stage, the ceremony highlighted a golden chapter for South African cricket. With world-class achievements taking centre stage, a few standout names rightfully commanded the spotlight during the prestigious gala event.

The undisputed headline acts of the evening were national captains Aiden Markram and Laura Wolvaardt, who swept the marquee categories to cement their status as the faces of South African cricket.

Markram enjoyed a dream run at the helm, taking home both the highly coveted SA Men’s Player of the Year and the ultimate locker-room nod, the SA Men’s Players’ Player of the Year. Markram’s leadership was tested and proven as he seamlessly captained the Test and ODI units in Temba Bavuma’s absence. His masterful batsmanship anchored the Proteas during a gruelling T20 World Cup campaign, where he amassed 286 runs, courtesy of three crucial half-centuries. Most notably, Markram’s steady leadership guided the men’s side to an unprecedented apex, securing the ICC World Test Championship mace against Australia.

On the women’s side, batting prodigy and Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt delivered a masterclass in clean hitting and longevity. Wolvaardt clean-swept the women’s division, taking home the Women’s Player of the Year, SA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year, and the Women’s ODI Player of the Year titles. Her phenomenal willow work guided South Africa to the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup final. Wolvaardt finished as the tournament’s top run-scorer with a staggering 571 runs at an average of 71.37, featuring unforgettable tons against England in the semi-final and India in the final. Furthermore, she remained lethal in the shortest format, smashing 729 T20I runs at an aggressive strike rate of 145.80.

Sharing the podium of dominance was veteran spinner Simon Harmer, named the Test Player of the Year. Harmer completed a stunning evolution from county cricket into the world’s premier red-ball asset, picking up 30 wickets in just four Test matches. His spin wizardry secured a crucial draw in Rawalpindi against Pakistan, before his masterclasses in Kolkata (8 for 51) and Guwahati (9 for 101) powered the Proteas to a sensational clean sweep against India.

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The glittering evening also celebrated rising talents like Dewald Brevis and Kayla Reyneke, while honoring the deep cultural impact of players like Sinalo Jafta, who walked away with the esteemed Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award.

Here is the complete roll of honor for the selected major categories from the Cricket South Africa Awards 2026:

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