Matthew Lewis’s magnificent image of Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of India, collecting the ball during the final of the 2025 Women’s World Cup, has been named as the 2025 Wisden Photograph of the Year.
The image, taken during India's victory over South Africa at Navi Mumbai, completes a hat-trick of wins for Lewis, who also won in 2014 and 2022. Since the competition began in 2010, no one else has won more than once.
The acclaimed cricket photographer Patrick Eagar, who was on the expert panel of judges, said: “Modern camera technology has ensured that almost every action photo which was submitted was perfectly in focus, adequately exposed (however poor the lighting) and, quite often, a bit dull. This year’s winner qualifies on the first two points, but has that extra element – humour! It’s a contemporary photograph from a contemporary game – a floodlit match with a white ball – and it just makes you smile. It’s a bit of a puzzle too.”
The editor of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, Lawrence Booth, said: "Matthew's brilliant photograph of India's Harmanpreet Kaur – and the fans watching her – was the outstanding picture among another high-class set of entries. To win our competition three times is amazing.”
Matthew Lewis has been a professional cricket photographer for Getty Images since 2003, and has covered 31 ICC events. Lewis said: “During the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup, there was a moment when the DJ at the ground asked spectators to turn on their phone torches. I noticed Harmanpreet was calling for the ball, and thought it would be fun to give the illusion there were more cricket balls than the actual one – a play on ‘spot the ball’. I’m extremely honoured to be the overall winner of the 2025 Wisden Cricket Photograph of the Year. This competition means a lot to me, and I feel very privileged to have won it for a third time.”
The 2025 competition was divided into three categories: men’s professional cricket, women’s professional cricket and recreational cricket. The overall winner was selected from the three category winners.
Matthew Lewis’s image of Harmanpreet Kaur won the women’s professional cricket category. The other category winners were:
- Andrew Boyers, for his photo of Pat Cummins taking an instinctive return catch to dismiss Marco Jansen in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on 12th June 2025, won the men’s professional category.
- Jed Leicester for his shot of the girls of Overstone Park Under-13s celebrating at Lord’s on 14th September 2025, won the recreational category. The girls were revelling in the occasion, despite having lost to Bexley in the final of the ECB Junior National Championship.
The winning entries feature in the 2026 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack – published on April 16, 2026. They, plus the seven other shortlisted entries, are on display for 12 months at The Kia Oval in London. The winning photographer is awarded £1,000; two other category winners each receive £400.
The 2025 competition attracted several hundred entries from around the world. As well as Patrick Eagar, the judges were: the former chief sports photographer of The Sunday Times, Chris Smith; the former art director of The Cricketer, Nigel Davies; the former MCC filming and photography manager, Clare Adams; broadcaster Alison Mitchell; and Cricket District content creator Jack Meacher.
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