ICC Men's Player of the Month Archives

Aiden Markram named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June 2025

DUBAI: South Africa’s top-order batter Aiden Markram has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June 2025, following his stellar performance in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia at Lord’s.

Markram edged out his compatriot Kagiso Rabada and Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka to win the coveted award.

The 30-year-old South African played a crucial role in helping his team break the 27-year ICC title drought. He scored an impressive 136 runs in the fourth innings and took two key wickets, securing a historic victory.

“It is a privilege to receive this award. To contribute to an ICC World Test Championship win for our team and South Africa is something that means a lot to me,” Aiden Markram said upon winning the award.

“Winning the final at Lord’s is a historic moment for South African cricket, and it is something we will all remember forever.

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“This victory was only possible due to the combined efforts of the entire team, with crucial contributions from KG (Kagiso Rabada) and Tembs (Temba Bavuma).”

During the first innings of Australia, Aiden Markram was called upon by his captain to break the crucial partnership between Steve Smith and Beau Webster.

He did not disappoint and responded with the wicket on his sixth delivery, sending Smith back to the pavilion.

He struggled in his first innings, getting out for a duck to an in-form Mitchell Starc.

However, he redeemed himself by scoring a match-defining century in the second innings while chasing a challenging target of 282 runs.

Markram showcased calmness and control during his 136-run knock, forming crucial partnerships with Wiaan Mulder and captain Temba Bavuma.

READ: Haseebullah Khan clears the air on reported move to England

Haris Rauf named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for November 2024

DUBAI: Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf has been crowned ICC Men’s Player of the Month for November 2024, owing to his brilliant performances in white-ball cricket.

He claimed the prestigious award after beating off stiff competition from Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and South African pacer Marco Jansen.

Haris Rauf played a key role in Pakistan’s historic ODI series victory against Australia last month, their first series win Down Under since 2002.

The right-arm fast bowler was the standout performer, taking 10 wickets at an impressive average of 12.00, which earned him the Player of the Series award.

Continuing his stellar form, Rauf took five wickets during the three-match T20I series against Australia, which Pakistan lost 0-3.

Pakistan then travelled to Zimbabwe, where Haris Rauf claimed three wickets in three ODIs to help Pakistan clinch the series 2-1.

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Overall, he claimed 18 wickets across formats in November to clinch the coveted ICC Men’s Player of the Month award.

He is currently on a tour of South Africa, where Pakistan lost the first T20I by a narrow 11-run margin yesterday.

It’s worth noting that the second T20I is scheduled to be played in Centurion on December 13, while the final T20I is scheduled in Johannesburg on December 14.

After wrapping up the T20I series, Pakistan and South Africa will play a three-match ODI series.

The opening ODI will take place on December 17 in Paarl, while the second and third ODIs will be played in Cape Town and Johannesburg on December 19 and 22 respectively.

Pakistan and South Africa will then engage in a two-match Test series, which will kick off in Centurion on December 26, meanwhile, the second Test will start from January 3 in Cape Town.

READ: Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi move up in ICC T20I Rankings

ICC reveals Men’s Player of the Month for July 2024

DUBAI: England fast bowler Gus Atkinson was crowned ICC Men’s Player of the Month for the Month of July on Monday, owing to his brilliant performance in the Test series against West Indies.

The ICC Player of the Month award acknowledges the magnificent individual performers on the international stage.

Gus Atkinson claimed the prestigious award after beating off stiff competition from India’s off-spinner Washington Sundar and Scotland’s pace bowler Charlie Cassell.

The 26-year-old fast bowler was proud and grateful to have received the Player of the Month award.

“It is a real privilege to win the ICC Player of the Month! The start to my Test career has been unbelievable, and I never imagined achieving this level of success in my first series with England,” Atkinson said.

He also expressed his appreciation to England captain Ben Stokes and red-ball head coach Brendon McCullum for establishing a positive and competitive atmosphere in the team’s dressing room.

“I am incredibly grateful to my teammates and the fantastic environment created by Baz (Brendon McCullum) and Stokesy (Ben Stokes),” he added.

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“It’s an honour to play and represent my country. I know there is a lot of hard work ahead, especially with a big series against Sri Lanka coming up. I’m excited to maintain consistency and do my best to help England succeed,” he further added.

Atkinson left a lasting impression on his Test debut, which was also legendary James Anderson’s farewell international match.

The express pacer dismantled the West Indian batting line-up as he claimed a five-wicket haul in each inning, returning with 12 wickets in the match.

He was adjudged man of the match for his heroics as England thumped West Indies by a massive margin of an innings and 114 runs.

The 26-year-old ran continued his impressive form in the subsequent games, taking 10 more wickets across the remaining two Tests.

He was key to England’s clean sweep victory and earned the Player of the Series award for taking 12 wickets.

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Kamindu Mendis named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March 2024

DUBAI: Sri Lankan batter Kamindu Mendis was awarded the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March 2024 following his impressive comeback during the recent tour of Bangladesh.

Mendis, who rose to prominence following his impressive Test returns, beat out stiff competition from Ireland’s Mark Adair and New Zealand’s Matt Henry to claim his first ICC Men’s Player of the Month award.

The 25-year-old batter became the third player from Sri Lanka to win the prestigious award after spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and star all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga.

Mendis expressed his joy after winning the award, calling it a source of motivation for his career.

“I am extremely happy to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month, which I consider an inspiration for my international career,” Mendis said.

“A recognition such as this motivates and makes us as players work more and more to deliver in the middle for the team, country, and fans.

“I also wish the very best for the other two players who were nominated along with me, Mark Adair and Matt Henry, whom I consider excellent players and good competitors.”

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Mendis made a comeback to the national side after two years and scored 68 runs in three T20Is against Bangladesh, including a 37 off 27 in the second game.

However, he proved his mettle in the following Test cricket against the hosts, scoring 367 runs in the two-match series.

During the first Test match, he and Dhananjaya de Silva rescued the team from a score of 57-5 and made history by becoming only the third pair from the same country to score centuries in both innings.

Before them, Australia’s Chappell brothers, Greg and Ian, and Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq and Azhar Ali had achieved this feat.

He continued his brilliant form in the second match and scored an unbeaten 92 in the first innings.

However, he narrowly missed the feat of a third Test century in consecutive innings as the last man Asitha Fernando was run out for a duck.

He also picked three wickets during the Test series, helping Sri Lanka whitewash Bangladesh.

READ: Babar Azam responds to criticism over his strike rate

Wanindu Hasaranga named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June

Star Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga got the reward of his sensational Cricket World Cup (CWC) Qualifier campaign as he claimed the ICC Player of the Month award for June 2023.

Wanindu Hasaranga beat out strong opposition from Australia batter Travis Head and Zimbabwe opener Sean Williams for the coveted award on the back of his superb performances for the island nation at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup (CWC) Qualifier.

“I am extremely happy with this award, and it comes at an important moment for Sri Lanka Cricket, after we made it to the Cricket World Cup in India. I am privileged and honoured to have been chosen as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month,” said Hasaranga.

The all-rounder collected 26 wickets at an average of 10 during the month, with the majority of those scalps helping Sri Lanka qualify for the 50-over World Cup at the end of the year.

Wanindu Hasaranga was the leading wicket-taker at the Qualifier event, with the 25-year-old also becoming just the second player in the history of ODI cricket to claim three consecutive five-wicket hauls.

Pakistan great Waqar Younis managed the feat way back in 1990 and Hasaranga matched the exploits of the dynamic quick by following up the impressive figures of 6/24 against the UAE with a pair of five-wicket hauls against Oman and Ireland.

If Wanindu Hasaranga’s efforts with the ball weren’t enough, the right-hander also managed to score 91 runs with the bat during the month of June to show his versatility in all facets of the game.

It is pertinent to mention that Wanindu Hasaranga played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s perfect campaign in the recently-concluded CWC Qualifier.

The former champions remained unbeaten in the tournament to book their spot in this year’s ICC Men’s World Cup in India, scheduled to commence on October 5.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner edged out Ashes rival Tammy Beaumont and West Indies captain Hayley Mathews to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for June 2023.

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