For his record-breaking performance in Zimbabwe last month, Gudakesh Motie has been nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month Award. The left-arm spinner took 19 wickets in the two-Test series at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. He registered landmark figures of 13-99 in the triumphant second Test – the best match haul by a West Indies spinner in Test history.
Playing his third Test, he took 7-37 in the first innings an followed up with 6-62 in the second as the West Indies won by an innings and four runs. The figures were enough to earn him the Player of the Series award, and his first nomination for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award, where he has the potential to be the first-ever West Indian winner.
The ICC on Tuesday revealed the outstanding performers nominated for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month Awards, capturing the thrilling action that played out across international cricket during the month.
Alongside Motie, forming the candidates on the ICC Men’s Player of the Month shortlist are Harry Brook of England and India’s Ravindra Jadega. Brook continues to thrive in Test cricket, and yet more explosive scoring during England’s series in New Zealand last month earns him another nomination for the award, following his win back in December. Jadeja is on the shortlist for the first time after inspiring a dominant start to the series for India in their World Test Championship battle against Australia.
An independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world will now cast their votes to decide the winners, which will be announced next week. Fans registered at icc-cricket.com/awards are invited to head online to pick their favourite stars until Sunday.
Ashleigh Gardner won the award back in December and her inspirational all-round form in February earned her the Player of the Tournament prize as Australia claimed a sixth global T20 crown. Nat Sciver-Brunt followed up her recent ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year Award with a string of impressive batting performances, steering England to another World Cup semi-final. Completing the lineup for the Women’s Player of the Month is leading run scorer from the event, Laura Wolvaardt, who thrilled in a series of performances that led South Africa to their maiden T20 World Cup Final.
