Deepti Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav (Getty Images) The Tech Word News Sports Awards (TOISA) returns for its eighth year and celebrates the achievements and inspirational journeys of India’s top sportspersons. The TOISA 2025 ceremony will be held on March 21, 2026 in Lucknow and will bring together the country’s top sporting icons and rising stars.This edition will recognize performances in more than 45 categories during the judging period from January 1 to December 31, 2025. It has been a remarkable year for Indian sports, marked by outstanding performances at global and continental events.The year 2025 has turned out to be historic for Indian cricket, especially in the women’s game. The Indian women’s team secured their first ever ICC title by winning the ODI World Cup at home. The men’s team also enjoyed a successful year, lifting the ICC Champions Trophy and the Asia Cup.Women cricketers from Uttar Pradesh played a key role in these achievements, with Agra’s Deepti Sharma named player of the tournament in the women’s triumphant ODI World Cup campaign. Along with Deepti, Kuldeep Yadav was also nominated in the TOISA 2025 Cricketer of the Year category.A seasoned all-rounder, Deepti shone with both bat and ball, scoring 215 runs and 22 wickets in nine matches at the World Cup. It was one of the greatest all-round performances in World Cup history as she became the first female cricketer (male or female) to achieve the rare feat of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single edition.In the men’s team, wrister Kuldeep Yadav played a key role in India’s Champions Cup and Asia Cup triumphs. He dazzled in the Asia Cup, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps in just seven matches. Kuldeep also made major breakthroughs at the Champions Trophy, taking seven wickets in five matches and ended the year as India’s highest wicket-taker across formats with 60 wickets in 25 matches.UP Cricketers Nominated for TOISA 2025:Deepti SharmaDate of birth: August 24, 1997Place of Birth: Agra, Uttar PradeshSports: CricketMajor achievements in 2025:ICC ODI World Cup 2025: Winner – Player of the TournamentODI Stats in 2025:Batting – 596 runs in 23 matches | Average 49.66 | SR 98.18 | 6 fiftiesBowling – 39 wickets in 23 matches | 27.1 | Econ. 5.12 | 1 FiferT20I Stats in 2025:Batting – 143 runs in 17 matches | 14.3 | SR 113.49Bowling – 22 wickets in 17 matches | 23.22 | Econ. 7.8Deepti Sharma has been named the player of the tournament at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup after producing one of the greatest all-round campaigns in the event’s history. She scored 215 runs and 22 wickets in nine matches, becoming the first cricketer – male or female – to achieve the rare double of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single edition of the World Cup. Her outstanding performance in the final in Mumbai was particularly significant and helped India seal the title.Kuldeep YadavDate of birth: December 14, 1994Place of Birth: Unnao, Uttar PradeshSports: CricketMajor achievements in 2025:ICC Champions Trophy 2025: WinnersACC Asia Cup 2025: WinnersTest Stats in 2025: 20 wickets in 4 matches | Best 5/82 | Ave 23.15 | Econ. 3.47ODI Stats in 2025: 19 wickets in 11 matches | Best 4/41 | Average 29.0 | Econ. 5.28T20I Stats in 2025: 21 wickets in 10 matches | Best 4/7 | 10.23 | Econ. 7.04Kuldeep Yadav enjoyed a sensational 2025, finishing as India’s highest wicket-taker across formats with 60 scalps in 25 matches. The wrist spinner played a vital role in India’s triumphant campaigns at the ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup. At the Champions Trophy, he took seven goals in five games, a major breakthrough during the title race.However, it was at the Asia Cup that Kuldeep really dazzled. He topped the tournament’s wicket-taking charts with a remarkable 17 wickets in just seven matches, well ahead of Shaheen Afridi’s next best tally of 10. Despite narrowly missing out on the Player of the Tournament award – which went to teammate Abhishek Sharma for a record 314 runs – Kuldeep’s match-winning spells were central to India’s title-winning campaign.
