TOISA 2025: Uttar Pradesh Cricketers Deepti Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav Earn Top Nominations
The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) returns for its eighth edition to recognize the achievements of India’s elite athletes. Scheduled for March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, the ceremony will evaluate athletic performances from January 1 to December 31, 2025. This evaluation period coincides with a historic year for Indian cricket, heavily driven by standout performances from Uttar Pradesh athletes Deepti Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav.
Indian Cricket’s Record-Breaking 2025 Campaign
The 2025 calendar year delivered unprecedented success for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Indian women’s national team secured their first-ever International Cricket Council (ICC) title by winning the ODI World Cup on home soil. Concurrently, the men’s team captured both the ICC Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup.
Deepti Sharma: Historic World Cup Performance
Agra native Deepti Sharma earned the Player of the Tournament award during the women’s ODI World Cup. The all-rounder recorded 215 runs and secured 22 wickets across nine matches. With this performance, Sharma became the first cricketer in International Cricket Council (ICC) history to register over 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single World Cup tournament.
Deepti Sharma 2025 Statistics
| Format | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Wickets | Bowling Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 23 | 596 | 49.66 | 39 | 27.10 |
| T20I | 17 | 143 | 14.30 | 22 | 23.22 |
Kuldeep Yadav: Dominating the Bowling Charts
Unnao-born wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav is nominated for the TOISA 2025 Cricketer of the Year award after finishing 2025 as India’s leading wicket-taker across all formats. According to ESPNcricinfo statistics, Yadav accumulated 60 wickets in 25 matches.
Yadav anchored the bowling attack during India’s Asia Cup victory, leading the tournament with 17 wickets in seven matches to easily surpass Shaheen Afridi’s second-place tally of 10. He maintained this form during the ICC Champions Trophy, taking seven wickets in five games to help secure the title.
Kuldeep Yadav 2025 Statistics
| Format | Matches | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 4 | 20 | 5/82 | 23.15 | 3.47 |
| ODI | 11 | 19 | 4/41 | 29.00 | 5.28 |
| T20I | 10 | 21 | 4/7 | 10.23 | 7.04 |
Looking Ahead to the TOISA 2025 Ceremony
The upcoming awards ceremony in Lucknow will evaluate athletes across more than 45 categories. The nominations of Sharma and Yadav underscore the critical role Uttar Pradesh continues to play in developing top-tier international cricket talent capable of delivering on the global stage.