Two of the top awards at the prestigious Kool-BSPA Sports Award 2024 went to all-around player Mehidy Hasan Miraz to cap off an amazing year.  His great work with both the bat and the ball won him the Sportsperson of the Year and Cricketer of the Year awards from the Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA).

The country's best athletes were honoured for their hard work at an awards event on Friday at a hotel in Dhaka.

When he performed on the world stage in 2024, Mehidy Hasan Miraz did an amazing job in every way.  He got more than 1,000 runs with the bat and 40 wickets with the ball in different types of games.  He also filled in as captain for a few games and was praised for being a cool and smart leader.

For his consistent brilliance, Miraz was a clear favorite for both awards. Speaking on social media after the ceremony, he expressed gratitude, “I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the BSPA Sports Awards committee for honoring me as the '𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫' and 𝐭𝐡𝐞 '𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫.' This recognition will inspire me to perform even better in the future and continue moving forward. I also extend my heartfelt appreciation to every supporter who has stood by me through both the good times and the difficult moments.”

Nahid Rana being named the Emerging Player of the Year was another great moment of the night.  The young fast bowler made his debut for his country in 2024 and made a quick impression.

He took 20 wickets in just six Test matches, showing how fast and good he could be.  He also played in three One-Day Internationals and took four catches.  People chose him as the best young hope in the country because of how quickly he rose to fame.

Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat was also named the Best Cricket Umpire by the BSPA.  In 2024, Saikat made news when he became the first Bangladeshi referee to join the ICC Elite Panel. This was a big deal in the history of cricket in Bangladesh.

The largest group of sports reporters and writers in Bangladesh is the Bangladesh Sports Press Association (BSPA).  The group was created in 1962, and starting in 1964, two years after its creation, it began to honour the best athletes and people with a connection to sports.  To keep this trend going, BSPA honoured the best performers in 2024 at the big event on Friday in front of hundreds of current and past athletes, trainers, managers, and event organisers.

The event was led by Rejwan Uz Zaman Rajib, head of the BSPA.  The guests of honour at the big event were Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, who is a youth and sports adviser, and Anjan Chowdhury, who is the managing director of Square Toiletries Limited.