Nepal's Aasif Sheikh wins CMJ Spirit of Cricket award

Aasif Sheikh has played 55 internationals for Nepal

Nepal wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh has won the 2022 Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket Award for his act of sportsmanship in a T20 international.

Sheikh refused to run out Ireland's Andy McBrine after he was accidentally tripped over by bowler Kamal Airee.

"The moment was a spontaneous decision on my/our part not to take the wicket because it would have been unfair to the opponent," said Sheikh, 21.

England's Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes were also highly commended by judges.

White-ball captain Buttler refused to appeal for obstructing the field when Australia's Matthew Wade top-edged a Mark Wood delivery, with the batter blocking the bowler's attempt to make the catch in a Twenty20 international in Perth in October 2022.

Meanwhile, Test skipper Stokes donated his match fees from the Test series in Pakistan to the country's flood appeal.

The Spirit of Cricket Award was created in 2013 by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and the BBC in memory of former MCC president and BBC Test Match Special commentator Christopher Martin-Jenkins (CMJ), who was passionate about promoting the spirit of the game.

For the first time in its history, MCC and BBC invited public nominations for the award in December 2022 and Sheikh's conduct for Nepal was judged to be the winning entry.

Jonathan Agnew, the BBC's cricket correspondent, said: "Our much-missed colleague CMJ would absolutely have approved of the actions of Aasif Sheikh.

"Christopher believed that of course you play to win, but it as important you play the game in the right way.

"It is also good to see the two captains of the England men's teams, Jos and Ben, commended, as they are setting a brilliant example to young cricketers."