BCCI to honour Binny, Dravid and Mithali Raj with Lifetime Achievement Awards at Naman Awards 2026
(Patiala 15th March – Navneet Bansal, News Room / News report courtesy press release from BCCI ) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will celebrate excellence in Indian cricket at the Naman Awards 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi on Sunday, March 15. The annual ceremony recognises outstanding performances across international, domestic and age-group cricket while honouring individuals who have made lasting contributions to the sport. At this year’s ceremony, former India cricketers Roger Binny and Rahul Dravid will be conferred with the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the BCCI’s highest honour. Legendary former India captain Mithali Raj will receive the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women for her immense contribution to the growth of women’s cricket.
Binny, a key member of India’s victorious squad in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, is remembered as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament and later served Indian cricket as a coach, selector and BCCI president. Dravid, one of India’s most celebrated batters with over 24,000 international runs, has also played a crucial role in shaping Indian cricket as a mentor and head coach, guiding the team to victory in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Mithali Raj, widely regarded as one of the greatest icons of women’s cricket, remains the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs and led India to two World Cup finals during her illustrious career.
Among the season’s top performers, India captain Shubman Gill will receive the Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men) for the 2024–25 season, while Smriti Mandhana will be honoured as Best International Cricketer (Women).
The ceremony will also recognise outstanding domestic performers and felicitate five Indian teams that won major ICC trophies, marking a historic celebration of India’s recent success on the global cricket stage.
