UK (Commonwealth) _ The International Cricket Council has announced the winners of the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for January.
Shamar Joseph, the talented West Indies pacer, secured his maiden ICC Men’s Player of the Month title for his remarkable performance during the Test series against Australia. This recognition not only highlights Joseph’s exceptional skills but also acknowledges the impact he had in the thrilling matches against Australia.
In addition, Amy Hunter, the explosive young batter from Ireland, was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for January. Hunter’s incredible performances in the short format series against Zimbabwe earned her this well-deserved accolade.
The selection process for the awards is based on the maximum rating points earned by each player in their respective matches. This ensures a fair assessment of individual contributions and recognizes the efforts of both batters, bowlers, and all-rounders. Using this method for selecting the Player of the Month not only ensures fairness but also provides a better balance between different types of players and their contributions to their teams.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for January 2024, after the announcement of shortlists last week. Shamar Joseph wins his first ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after making an impressive debut for the West Indies in a thrilling Test series in Australia.
Amy Hunter was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for her impressive run-scoring in Ireland’s T20I series triumph against Zimbabwe. Men’s Player of the Month Joseph had a fantastic start to his West Indies career. The 24-year-old was called into the lineup for the Test series against Australia and made an immediate impression, dismissing Steve Smith with his debut ball in international cricket.
His debut in Test cricket saw him take five wickets in the first innings in Adelaide, including the valuable wickets of Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, and Smith, but it was his performance in the second Test in Brisbane that will be remembered.
Defending a modest 216 to avoid an Australian win in the second innings, Joseph put on an amazing fast bowling effort, taking seven for 68 – four of which were bowled – to skittle the home side out in spectacular manner, eight runs short of the objective.
The triumph resulted in a historic 1-1 tie for the West Indies, and Joseph was named Player of the Series for his outstanding debut. With this recent distinction, he becomes the first West Indian to win the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award since its creation in January 2021.
Shamar Joseph, the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for January, remarked, “I am overjoyed to have won this award.” Receiving such an accolade on a global scale feels special. I thoroughly liked playing for the West Indies in Australia, particularly the romance of the last day at the Gabba. Getting the wicket to win the game was a dream!
It was a genuinely unforgettable moment for me, and all I want to do now is continue to work hard and give more match-winning performances for the West Indies with the ball and, when necessary, with the bat. I’d want to express my gratitude to my teammates and support personnel in Australia for their unwavering support throughout the project. I will get the award, but it is also for the team and all West Indies supporters.
Amy Hunter, the ICC Women’s Player of the Month, is another of the youthful prospects lighting up the international arena, as she celebrates her first accolade after scoring important runs when Ireland defeated Zimbabwe convincingly last month. Following a sluggish ODI series to begin the month, Hunter responded with an explosive set of knocks in the T20I series in Harare.
In the first T20I, the 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman smashed a sparkling 101 not out in only 66 balls from the top of the order as the away team triumphed by 57 runs. Hunter added 77 and 42 runs in the second and third innings, respectively, as Ireland comfortably won the series away from home. Across her three T20Is this month, she scored 220 runs at an excellent strike rate of 144.73, making her the first Irish player to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month title since Arlene Kelly in August 2023.
Amy Hunter, the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for January, stated, “It’s an honor to earn the ICC Women’s Player of the Month title for January. I am much honored to be on the shortlist among two of the world’s greatest. It’s been a fantastic start to the year, with two comfortable series victories against Zimbabwe. I am glad to have contributed to the team’s success and intend to continue doing so.
ICC-cricket.com fans and a team of experts, including ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives, voted for Joseph and Hunter to receive the prizes. Joseph defeated other prominent Test performances this month, including England’s Ollie Pope and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, while Hunter defeated Australian combination Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney.
