Shardul Thakur and Siddhesh Lad were recognised as Cricketers of the Year by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) during its annual awards ceremony held on April 22, 2026. Both players were presented with the Justice Tendulkar Trophy for Best Senior Cricketer, with Lad receiving the honour for the 2025-26 season and Thakur for 2024-25.
The event brought together several prominent figures from Indian cricket and administration. Among those in attendance were former India players Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Rajeev Kulkarni and Diana Edulji. State Cabinet Ministers Ashish Shelar and Aditi Tatkare were also present, with MCA president Ajinkya Naik overseeing the proceedings.
Recognition for World Cup Contributions
The association also acknowledged Mumbai’s continued impact on Indian cricket by honouring players and coaches involved in recent World Cup successes. Ayush Mhatre, who captained India to the Under-19 Men’s World Cup title, was among those felicitated.
Several other Mumbai representatives from various title-winning squads were recognised, including Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube from the Men’s T20 World Cup-winning team. Sanika Chalke (Under-19 Women’s World Cup), Abhigyan Kundu (Under-19 Men’s World Cup), and Jemimah Rodrigues, Amol Muzumdar, and Aavishkar Salvi from the Women’s World Cup-winning setup were also honoured.
Celebrating Domestic Success
MCA also recognised its successful domestic teams that secured major titles across formats and age groups. These included triumphs in:
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- Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
- Senior Women’s T20 Trophy
- Under-14 West Zone Championship
- Under-23 Women’s One-Day Trophy
- Vijay Merchant Trophy (Under-16)
- Women’s Under-15 One-Day Trophy
The awards highlighted the association’s strength in developing talent across multiple levels.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
The ceremony also paid tribute to long-serving contributors to Mumbai cricket through Lifetime Achievement Awards. Shobha Pandit (Cricketer) and Shrikant Tigdi (Administrator) were honoured for the 2025-26 cycle, while Chandrakant Patankar (Cricketer) and Ravindra Savant (Administrator) received recognition for 2024-25.
MCA President Reflects on Standards
“This evening stands as a powerful testament to the standards Mumbai cricket sets for itself – uncompromising excellence, built on legacy and driven by relentless ambition. These achievements are not just milestones, but benchmarks for the future. Our focus remains clear: to strengthen this ecosystem, elevate performance, and ensure the next generation carries this legacy forward at an even greater scale. I congratulate all the awardees who continue to uphold the highest standards of Mumbai cricket,” MCA president Naik said.
