Joe Root named Metro Bank ODI Player of the Summer after record-breaking run tally
Joe Root has been crowned the Metro Bank ODI Men’s Player of the Summer, capping off a dominant white-ball season in which he became England Men’s all-time leading run scorer in ODIs.
The Yorkshire batter topped the MVP Rankings, powered by OFX, finishing with 91.13 points after scoring 442 runs at an average of 88.40. His season included centuries against both the West Indies and South Africa.
Three milestones and a new ODI personal best
This award marked Root’s third major ODI milestone of the summer:
- He surpassed Eoin Morgan to become England’s top ODI run scorer
- He set a new personal best score of 166* against the West Indies
- He helped England to a historic 342-run win over South Africa
Root’s 166* against the West Indies came off just 139 balls, featuring 21 fours and two sixes. The performance earned him 38.43 MVP points and was the standout moment of the series, which he finished with 267 runs at an average of 133.50.
In the South Africa series, Root continued his form, scoring 61 in the second match before his 19th ODI century in the final game — 100 off 96 balls — as part of a 182-run partnership with Jacob Bethell. England’s win by 342 runs became the largest winning margin in ODI history.
Over 1,000 international runs this summer
Across Tests and ODIs, Root has now scored over 1,000 runs this summer, finishing ahead of Adil Rashid and Harry Brook in the ODI MVP standings.
Brook, Root’s white-ball captain, was also recognized earlier this summer as Rothesay Men’s Test Player of the Summer with 145.05 points.
Joe Root on winning the award
“The hundred today was good. It was key to get a couple of partnerships together on that kind of surface,” Root said. “The way Beth [Jacob Bethell] and I dovetail, especially with the wind across the ground, it always felt like one of us could target that and take advantage.”
Root emphasized the need for continuous improvement: “As soon as you are content with where you are at, you’ll get found out… It is important to keep looking to get better, and keep finding ways to improve in different areas of the game.”
How MVP rankings are calculated
The Metro Bank ODI Men’s Player of the Summer was selected using the PCA Most Valuable Player Rankings, powered by OFX. The system, developed with CricViz, factors in every ball’s expected performance and historical data of the venue, offering a more comprehensive evaluation than traditional averages.
What’s next for England’s white-ball team?
England’s white-ball squad returns to action with the Vitality IT20 series against South Africa beginning Wednesday, 10 September. They then face Ireland in a three-match IT20 series to close out the summer.
The ODI side will resume in late October with a three-match series in New Zealand.
Save time and money with OFX, the PCA’s Official FX Partner, offering members bank-beating rates and an easier way to send money home.
