Jasprit Bumrah, the hero of India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign, has added another accolade to his illustrious career. He was named the ‘ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June’, cementing his status as one of cricket’s premier fast bowlers.
Player of the Tournament
Bumrah’s exceptional performance in the T20 World Cup saw him claim 15 wickets, earning him the prestigious Player-of-the-Tournament award. This achievement puts him in the esteemed company of Virat Kohli, making them the only Indian players to receive this honor in the T20 World Cup.
India’s Flawless Victory
Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India made history by becoming the first team to win the men’s T20 World Cup without losing a single match. The team’s perfect record was only marred by a washout against Canada in the first round.
Women’s Category: Smriti Mandhana’s ODI Dominance
Maiden ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award
Smriti Mandhana, the vice-captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, secured her first ICC Women’s Player of the Month award. Her stellar performance was instrumental in India’s clean sweep over South Africa in the recent ODI series.
Phenomenal Batting Display
Mandhana’s batting prowess was on full display during the series:
- In the second match, she scored a magnificent 136 runs off 120 balls.
- She narrowly missed a hat-trick of centuries, scoring 90 in the final match.
- Overall, Mandhana amassed an impressive 343 runs at an average of 114.33 and a strike rate exceeding 100.
Player of the Series
Her consistent and explosive performances throughout the series earned Mandhana the well-deserved Player of the Series award.
Tough Competition
Both Bumrah and Mandhana faced stiff competition for their respective awards:
- Bumrah outperformed fellow nominee Rohit Sharma and Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
- Mandhana edged out England’s Maia Bouchier and Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne.