ICC reveals Player of the Month nominees for July

July 2024 witnessed a remarkable display of batting prowess by some of the most explosive hitters in women’s cricket. The ICC has shortlisted three exceptional openers – Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Smriti Mandhana (India), and Shafali Verma (India) – for the prestigious ICC Women’s Player of the Month award. Let’s delve into their impressive performances that earned them a place among the frontrunners.

 

Chamari Athapaththu

Sri Lanka’s veteran captain, Chamari Athapaththu, has etched her name in cricketing history by leading her team to their maiden Women’s Asia Cup title in July. This monumental victory culminated a period of remarkable growth for Sri Lankan women’s cricket under her leadership. Athapaththu’s inspiring captaincy saw Sri Lanka secure their first-ever T20I series wins against England and South Africa, along with crucial qualification for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

But Athapaththu wasn’t just leading from the front – her bat did the talking too. Throughout Sri Lanka’s undefeated run in the Asia Cup, she displayed her batting prowess. After a slow start, she roared back with a career-best unbeaten 119 against Malaysia. Her consistent run continued with an unbeaten 49 against Thailand and back-to-back match-winning fifties in the knockout stages – 63 against Pakistan in the semi-final and a crucial 61 against India in the final.  Athapaththu’s outstanding batting performance, with a total of 304 runs at a healthy strike rate of 146.85, not only propelled Sri Lanka to victory but also made her a strong contender for both Player of the Tournament and Player of the Month accolades.

 

Smriti Mandhana

Smriti Mandhana’s nomination for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for July comes on the heels of her success in June. This left-handed maestro continued her prolific run, starting with a career-best 149 in the one-off Test against South Africa. This knock, alongside her opening partner Shafali Verma, created the highest-ever partnership for the first wicket in Women’s Tests, setting the stage for India’s dominant victory. Mandhana’s hunger for runs continued in the T20I series against South Africa, where she amassed 100 runs in two innings, including a match-winning unbeaten 54 in the final T20I.

The Asia Cup provided another platform for Mandhana to showcase her talent. As the leading scorer for India in the final, she smashed a blistering 60 runs off just 47 balls.  Overall, July saw Mandhana score a staggering 273 runs at an impressive average of 68.25 in T20Is, with a strike rate that left bowlers bewildered (139.28).

 

Shafali Verma

The other half of India’s dominant opening partnership, Shafali Verma, also finds herself nominated for the Player of the Month award. This young prodigy showcased her immense talent with a string of remarkable performances in both Tests and T20Is. During the historic opening stand with Mandhana, Verma created history by becoming the second Indian woman to hit a double century in Tests. Her blistering knock of 205, achieved in just 194 balls, stands as the fastest double hundred in the history of Women’s Tests. This feat played a crucial role in India’s record total of 603/6 – the highest ever in Women’s Tests. Verma continued her dominant run, contributing with a wicket and a quickfire 24 in the chase, securing a resounding victory for India.

Shafali’s power-hitting continued in the T20I series against South Africa before she turned her attention to the Asia Cup. Finishing as the second-highest run-scorer with 200 runs at a strike rate of 140.84, she played some memorable innings. Her quickfire 40 against arch-rivals Pakistan and a career-best 81 against Nepal showcased her ability to handle pressure and score quickly when needed.

 

The battle for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award promises to be exciting, with each of these nominated openers showcasing exceptional talent and leadership.  The vote is now open, and fans have the opportunity to recognize the player who truly embodied the spirit of July’s cricketing action.

Vote Now https://www.icc-cricket.com/awards/player-of-the-month/womens-player-of-the-month