Photo Credit: ICC
- ICC Women’s Player of the Month candidates feature outstanding performers from the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 – Deandra Dottin, Amelia Kerr and Laura Wolvaardt
- Prolific Test wicket-takers comprise the men’s shortlist; Noman Ali, Mitchell Santner, and top-ranked Kagiso Rabada
- More about the ICC Player of the Month awards is available here
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today named the outstanding performers that have been shortlisted for the ICC Player of the Month awards for October.
An action-packed month saw a host of international stars light up both the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the UAE, and several key battles in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.
The shortlist for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award features three individuals honoured in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Team of the Tournament.
New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr is nominated thanks to a memorable string of performances in which she set a new wicket-taking record as the White Ferns secured their maiden T20 World Cup triumph in the UAE. Deandra Dottin made her return to the West Indies’ lineup in October, and made an immediate impact, inspiring her side to reach the semi-final of the competition with valuable runs and wickets. Laura Wolvaardt completes the shortlist after topping the run-scoring charts and captaining South Africa to their second successive Women’s T20 World Cup final.
The nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award include three impactful wicket-takers who starred in their respective ICC World Test Championship encounters last month.
Noman Ali is shortlisted for the first time after his wicket-taking exploits on home soil helped Pakistan secure a memorable comeback victory over England. Joining him among the October nominees is Mitchell Santner, after the left-arm spinner bowled New Zealand to victory in the second Test against India at Pune. Kagiso Rabada reclaimed top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings during the month and his outstanding efforts during South Africa’s series triumph in Bangladesh earns him his latest nomination.
An independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world will now be invited to cast their votes to decide the winners, which will be announced next week. Fans are now able to vote for their favourite performers at icc-cricket.com/awards.
ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for October:
Deandra Dottin (WI)
The West Indies’ all-rounder made her comeback for the national side at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and was a driving force as the islanders reached their first semi-final at the event since 2018. Dottin was instrumental in victories over Scotland and Bangladesh, but saved her most valuable contributions for the latter stages, where she shone with the bat, ball and in the field in their group stage win over England, before producing a memorable individual display with 33 runs and four wickets in the thrilling semi-final defeat to eventual champions New Zealand.
Amelia Kerr (NZ)
A previous winner of the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award back in February 2022, the all-rounder was a key figure in New Zealand’s run to glory in the UAE, hitting 135 runs and taking a record 15 wickets on her way to securing the Player of the Tournament crown. Standout performances came against Australia, Sri Lanka, and most impressively in the final against South Africa, where she top-scored for the White Ferns with a crucial 43 from 38 balls before taking three for 24 with the ball.
Laura Wolvaardt (SA)
Nominated on four previous occasions but still searching for her maiden Women’s Player of the Month prize, Wolvaardt was at the forefront of South Africa’s surge to the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup, topping the tournament run-scoring charts with 223 runs at an average of 44.60 in her first ICC tournament as captain. Among her highlights, the 25-year-old hit 40-plus scores against West Indies, England, Scotland and in the dramatic semi-final victory over Australia, only to fall short despite 33 more runs in the final outing against New Zealand in Dubai.
ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for October:
Noman Ali (PAK)
Noman made a triumphant return to Test action for Pakistan in October, and earns his first nomination for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award thanks to 20 wickets at an average of 13.85 across his two Tests against England in Multan and Rawalpindi. Alongside the equally impressive Sajid Khan, Noman was a constant threat on spinning surfaces, and was at his most lethal in the second innings of both encounters, taking eight for 46 and six for 42 respectively to inspire the hosts to a memorable comeback victory.
Kagiso Rabada (SA)
The South African seamer aims to become only the third South African to win the Men’s Player of the Month award and is nominated thanks to more landmark feats in October. The 29-year-old claimed his 300th Test wicket on his way to match figures of nine for 72 in the first Test, which included a match-winning six for 46 in the second innings. Having reclaimed top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings as a result of the Mirpur victory, the pacer was among the wickets once again in Chattogram, taking five for 37 in the first innings as the visitors eventually clinched the series with an innings victory and gained valuable points in their quest for an ICC World Test Championship Final berth.
Mitchell Santner (NZ)
Despite just the one outing during the calendar month, Santner made a telling contribution in the second and decisive Test victory over India in Pune to seal a historic series victory for New Zealand. Drafted into the side following their victory in Bengaluru, the left-arm spinner ripped through the Indian batting lineup in the first innings, making expert use of pace variations and a favourable surface to record best Test figures of seven for 53. Then with India chasing a sizeable target of 359 for victory, Santner once again spun his way through the opposition, taking six for 104 to secure a 113-run victory and the visitors’ first series win in India.
The ICC Player of the Month Voting Process:
The three nominees for either category are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month. The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprises prominent members of the cricket fraternity including well-known journalists, former players, broadcasters and members of the ICC Hall of Fame. The Voting Academy submit their votes by email and hold a 90 per cent share of the vote. Fans registered with the ICC can vote via the ICC website, accounting for the remaining 10 per cent. Winners are announced every second Monday of the month on ICC’s digital channels.
Voting Academy for ICC Player of the Month:
Afghanistan: Javed Hamim; Australia: Daniel Cherny and Lisa Sthalekar; Bangladesh: Mazhar Uddin and Md Ariful Islam Roney; England: Chris Stocks and Lydia Greenway; Ireland: Ger Siggins and Clare Shillington; India: S Gomesh and Shivani Gupta; New Zealand: Craig Cumming; Pakistan: Sawera Pasha and Sana Mir; South Africa: Zaahier Adams and Ashwell Prince; Sri Lanka: Azzam Ameen and Farveez Maharoof; West Indies: Daren Ganga and Stacy Ann King; Zimbabwe: Lawrence Trusida and Grant Flower; Others: Darren Allan Kyeyune and Kyle Coetzer.
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Name of Author: ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the global governing body for cricket, founded in 1909 as the Imperial Cricket Conference. Renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, it became the ICC in 1987. Headquartered in Dubai, UAE, the ICC has 108 member nations.
