Top names to present ICC Awards 2006 on Friday night

Some of the top names in cricket will be on hand in Mumbai on Friday night to present this year's ICC Awards, including Imran Khan, Sunil Gavaskar and Tony Greig, with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the Player of the Year being presented by local Indian hero Sachin Tendulkar.

Imran, the former Pakistan captain and all-rounder who inspired his country to an ICC Cricket World Cup triumph in 1992, will present the inaugural Captain of the Year award and also offer his vision of cricket in a speech beforehand.

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar will announce the ICC Test and ODI teams of the Year and present those players present with their unique hand-crafted caps on the night. Gavaskar, who is one of only five players to have scored more than 10,000 Test runs, was chairman of the Selection Panel that picked the two teams of the year*.

Now that the women's game is under the auspices of ICC, the ICC Awards includes a category for the Women's Player of the Year. This will be presented by former Australian wicketkeeper and now the ICC's Global Cricket Academy Director of Coaching Rodney Marsh.

Another important feature of the ICC Awards is that they acknowledge the integral part umpires play in the smooth running of any cricket match. The excellent decision-making and communication skills of the top umpires are part of what makes a good game so enjoyable. ICC's chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle will present the Umpire of the Year Award.

Tony Greig and Greg Chappell will be on hand to present the ODI Player of the Year and Test Player of the Year awards while Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar will give out the top award of the night, the Player of the Year, who will receive the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.

The ICC Awards 2006, taking place at the Taj Lands End Hotel, is a celebration of cricket and an acknowledgment of the wonderful achievements of the very best players in the world. The event, which is presented by Hyundai in association with FICA (the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations), is now in its third year and is a chance to highlight the best in cricket over the 12 months between 1 August 2005 and 8 August 2006.

* The other members of the ICC Selection Panel, which nominated the long list of players for each men's award, are Allan Donald, Ian Healy, Arjuna Ranatunga and Waqar Younis. The Women's Player of the Year has been chosen by a panel of 12 former players and influential figures in the women's game including members of the media.