ICC POTM Archives

Fakhar reacts hilariously after winning ICC Player of the Month

Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman shared a hilarious response after he was named the ICC Player of the Month for April 2023 on Tuesday.

The left-hander won the ICC Player of the Month award for his outstanding performances in Pakistan’s recent home series against New Zealand.

Fakhar overcame the tough competition from emerging New Zealand batter Mark Chapman and Sri Lanka spin wizard Prabath Jayasuriya to clinch the award.

The 33-year-old, however, was in a state of disbelief after winning the award since it was a neck-and-neck race between him and Kiwi batter Chapman, who remained the leading run-getter in the T20I series during New Zealand’s tour of Pakistan.

“Jis tareeqay se Chapman bhai ne hame T20I me koota tha, mujhe to laga usko hi mile ga,” Fakhar wrote on Twitter

(The way Chapman thrashed us in the T20I series, I thought he would win this award)

“But grateful to all the voters and fans for rooting out for me,” he added.

Jis tareeqay se Chapman bhai ne hame T20I me koota tha, mujhe to laga usko hi mile ga. But grateful to all the voters and fans for rooting out for me. 🙌 #Honoured pic.twitter.com/CdZNg9tqnG

— Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) May 9, 2023

New Zealand’s Chapman scored 290 runs in five T20I games in Pakistan, including two fifties and a match-winning century.

He scored an unbeaten 104 off 57 deliveries, laced up with 11 boundaries and four sixes to power the Blackcaps to a series-levelling victory in the final T20I.

Fakhar Zaman, on the other hand, scored back-to-back centuries in the first two ODIs between Pakistan and New Zealand and made his claim to the Player of the Series award and a host of individual records.

He became the fastest batter not just from the country but from Asia to complete 3000 ODI runs and just the fourth Pakistan batter after Saeed Anwar, Zaheer Abbas and Babar(twice) to hit three centuries in three straight games.

Fakhar Zaman played a marathon knock of 180 not out – the highest by any Pakistan batter in a successful run chase – in the second ODI in Rawalpindi to help the Green Shirts chase down their second-highest total in ODIs.

He displayed similar exploits in the first match at the same venue where he scored 117 to lead the way for Pakistan in their 289-run chase.

Following his run-scoring spree, Fakhar also moved to the no.2 spot behind skipper Babar Azam on the ICC ODI Men’s Players’ Rankings.

The left-hander started the month with a rapid 47 in the first T20I in Lahore against New Zealand, playing a part in the home side’s thumping 88-run victory.

READ: Fakhar Zaman named ICC Player of the Month for April 2023

Shubman Gill named ICC Player of the Month for January 2023

DUBAI: India’s young batting sensation Shubman Gill has been awarded ICC Player of the Month for January 2023 after his scintillating form across formats last month.

“Nominated alongside New Zealand’s Devon Conway and fellow countryman Mohammed Siraj, Gill bagged the honours for a brilliant run in white-ball cricket in January,” said ICC on its website.

The right-handed batter smashed a double century last month in the first ODI of the three-game series against New Zealand in Hyderabad. He scored 209 off 149 balls in the nail-biting thriller which India won by 12 runs.

He then went on to score 40 not out and 112 in the other two matches and accumulated 360 runs in the series to become the joint-highest run-scorer in a three-game ODI series alongside Pakistan’s captain Babar Azam, who set this record against West Indies back in 2016.

The 23-year-old also recorded his maiden T20 century in the previous month when he hit an unbeaten 126 to help India clinch the T20 International series against Kiwis with a crushing 168-run victory in the decider.

READ: Bowlers storm NZ to give South Africa statement win in Women’s T20 WC

Babar nominated for ICC Player of the month for December 2022

DUBAI: Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam has been nominated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the player of the month award for December 2022.

Following his sensational run with the bat in the outgoing month, the Pakistan skipper has been shortlisted for the award along with England’s Harry Brook and Australia’s Travis Head.

“The Pakistan skipper continues to enjoy a fine run of form with bat in hand, filling his boots against England and the start of the New Zealand series,” said ICC in a media release on Thursday.

Babar finished the month with 523 runs at 65.37, including two brilliant centuries.

“Making runs in all four Tests he played, Babar showcased his consistency even with the burden of captaincy, making a pair of hundreds and three scores of fifties in eight knocks.” it added.

“The month began with his 136 on day three of the first Test in Rawalpindi, hitting 19 fours and a six to help his side to 579. He went on to make three fifties in four innings across the second and third Test matches in Multan and Karachi respectively, finishing with 348 runs at 58 for the series.”

“Babar returned to Karachi for the first Test match against New Zealand, and enjoyed his time in the middle in the first innings, making 161 in a six-hour stay.”

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan’s top-notch batter has also been shortlisted for the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Player of the Year 2022 and Men’s ODI Cricketer of the year 2022.

The right-handed batter is in the top five rankings across each format and collected 2598 runs in 44 matches, he played in 2022.

READ: Haris returns as Pakistan name squad for New Zealand ODIs

Kohli wins ICC Player of the Month award for October 2022

DUBAI: Indian veteran batter Virat Kohli has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the month for October 2022, announced International Cricket Council on Monday.

According to ICC, the Indian star achieved the title following his exceptional run with the bat in the shortest format of the game in the previous month.

Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and South Africa’s David Miller were also nominated for the award alongside Kohli but the Indian mainstay beat them to clinch the award.

Kohli played the T20I innings of his life and single-handedly steered India to a memorable win against Pakistan at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Besides his match-winning 82* in the high-voltage encounter, he also churned out two other memorable knocks out of just four innings he played in October 2022.

The 33-year-old delivered an unbeaten 62 from 44 deliveries against the Netherlands in the mega event. He also smashed an outstanding knock of 49* from just 28 deliveries against South Africa in the home T20I game earlier in the month

“It is a great honour for me to have been voted the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for October. Being chosen as the standout player by fans across the globe as well as the panel makes this accolade even more special for me,” expressed Kohli after winning the award as quoted by ICC.

READ: Nida Dar named ICC Women’s Player of the month for October 2022

Nida Dar named ICC Women’s Player of the month for October 2022

DUBAI: Pakistan all-rounder Nida Dar has been awarded the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Player of the month for October 2022, on Monday.

According to the ICC, the veteran all-rounder claimed the title following his sensational performances during the Women’s Asia Cup held last month.

The 35-year-old came out on top, beating the Indian duo, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma, who were the other two nominees for the award.

Dar produced some outstanding performances for Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup in October. She scored 145 runs in six matches, at a phenomenal average of 72.50, and also grabbed eight wickets at a meagre 14.87 runs a piece.

She played a crucial role in Pakistan Women’s team’s sensational win against arch-rivals India as she raised an unbeaten 56 and then returned excellent bowling figures of 2/23. Her brilliance with both bat and ball steered Pakistan to the semi-finals, where they eventually lost to Sri Lanka by just a run.

“It was great to be nominated for the award, and to win it is very special to me. I wish we could have won the Women’s Asia Cup, but I am happy that we as a team are performing, and the recent series win against Ireland at home shows the commitment the girls are putting into their game,” she expressed after winning the award as quoted by the ICC.

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