West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite along with other Test skippers Babar Azam of Pakistan and Pat Cummins of Australia have all been shortlisted for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for March 2022 following their supreme efforts during a month which was packed with outstanding individual performances around the globe.
The women’s shortlist for March is comprised of stars from the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. England bowler Sophie Ecclestone, and run-machines Rachael Haynes (Australia) and Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) are in the running to scoop the award following stellar performances during the month against the world’s best.
The ICC Player of the Month nominees for March were announced on Wednesday, based on performances across formats and including matches from the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup held in New Zealand, amongst others.
An independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world can now vote to decide the winners, which will be announced next week. Fans can register via ICC-cricket.com/awards and are invited to cast their votes until Sunday, April 10.
ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for March:https://www.icc-cricket.com/awards/overview
Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies): The West Indies Test captain and opening batter led from the front during the recently concluded successful Apex Test Series against England, which formed part of the ICC’s World Test Championship. He scored 341 runs at an average of 85.25. Brathwaite’s resolve and determination at the crease was best characterized by his monumental 160 from 489 balls in the second Apex Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados, in response to England’s big first-innings total. This mammoth innings ensured a draw and provided the platform for his side to clinch the series by winning the final showdown at the Grenada National Stadium.
Babar Azam (Pakistan): Pakistan’s skipper played an integral part in his side’s batting during the recent series against Australia. Despite not ending the World Test Championship (WTC) three-match series victorious, Babar amassed 390 runs during the month in Tests, including a record-breaking 196 in the second Test to salvage a draw against the odds. In addition, his efforts at the crease in the two ODI matches during the month saw Babar score 57 and 114 respectively, with the latter helping his side chase down an imposing target of 349 set by Australia. This is the second time he’s featured on the shortlist for the ICC Player of the Month award, after winning in April 2021.
Pat Cummins (Australia): In a WTC Test series that was dominated by run-scoring, Cummins stood out for his bowling performances in unforgiving conditions. He led his side, and the bowling attack, to victory in Pakistan playing a pivotal role in clinching the series thanks to a match-winning spell, taking 5 for 56 in the first innings and following up with 3-23 in the second innings of the final test. Taking 12 wickets at an average of 22.50 helped him secure his first nomination in the ICC Player of the Month awards.
The ICC Player of the Month Voting Process: The three nominees for either category is 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 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.