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Today, the International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the list of contenders vying for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for their performances in March. These awards recognize exceptional individual achievements in international cricket, with nominees spanning various formats. Among the contenders for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month are instrumental figures in Ireland’s historic Test victory, a standout bowler from New Zealand, and a record-breaking Sri Lankan batsman. Mark Adair earns his first nomination following his crucial role in Ireland’s Test triumph over Afghanistan. Matt Henry impressed with his consistent wicket-taking in New Zealand’s World Test Championship series against Australia. Kamindu Mendis from Sri Lanka is recognized for his remarkable batting display against Bangladesh. In the women’s category, nominees excel in both T20Is and ODIs, with a promising English batter, and renowned all-rounders from Australia and New Zealand making the shortlist. Maia Bouchier showcased her explosive batting prowess in England’s T20I series victory in New Zealand, earning her debut nomination. Ashleigh Gardner, a four-time winner, shone in Australia’s ODI series triumph over Bangladesh. Despite New Zealand’s losses to England, Amelia Kerr stood out as the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker for the White Ferns in March. The winners will be determined by an independent ICC Voting Academy and global fan votes, with the results set to be announced next week.
Nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March are as follows:
1.Mark Adair (IRE): Adair showcased his versatility by contributing significantly in all three formats. Particularly noteworthy was his pivotal role in Ireland’s historic Test win against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. Adair’s stellar bowling performance, including figures of 5 for 39 and 3 for 56 in the match, played a crucial role in Ireland’s triumph. He continued his impressive form across ODI and T20I series, finishing the month with a total of 16 wickets.
2.Matt Henry (NZ): Despite New Zealand’s series loss to Australia in the ICC World Test Championship, Henry emerged as a standout performer. He showcased his bowling prowess with a fiery spell in the first Test, claiming five wickets, and followed it up with a remarkable performance in the second Test, taking seven wickets for 67 runs. Henry’s consistency and accuracy throughout both Tests earned him the Player of the Series accolade, finishing with 17 wickets at an average of 15.70.
3.Kamindu Mendis (SL): Mendis made headlines with his record-breaking performance in Sri Lanka’s Test match against Bangladesh. Despite modest scores in the T20I series, Mendis played a crucial role in rescuing Sri Lanka’s innings in the first Test, scoring 102 runs. His monumental innings of 164 in the second innings helped secure a comfortable victory for Sri Lanka, making him the first player batting at number seven or lower to hit two centuries in a single Test.
