Dubai, Jan 14 Chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC) Jay Shah on Tuesday congratulated India pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Australia all-rounder Annabel Sutherland for being named Men's and Women's Players of the Month for December.
"Congrats to Jasprit Bumrah and Anna Sutherland on winning ICC Players of the Month for December!" said Jay Shah in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
"These two superstars of our game are also nominees for the ICC's highest individual honours in 2024 - the Sir Garfield Sobers ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year and the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year - which are announced later this month," said Shah in his post.
Bumrah and Sutherland were announced winners of the award on Tuesday.
Bumrah, the top-ranked Test bowler, provided stern resistance to Australia’s resurgence in a compelling Border-Gavaskar Trophy series with destructive bowling spells, while Sutherland was in sparkling form during Australia’s ODI encounters against India and New Zealand, twice winning Player of the Series accolades for her all-round contributions.
Bumrah clinched his second ICC Men’s Player of the Month crown from fellow nominees, World Test Championship wicket-takers Pat Cummins and Dane Paterson. Sutherland also wins her second ICC Women’s Player of the Month prize, overcoming Smriti Mandhana and Nonkululeko Mlaba in the global vote.
Bumrah’s memorable year on the international stage drew to a close with more outstanding efforts in Australia, taking 22 wickets in December’s three Tests at an average of 14.22. As the home side grew in confidence, battling back from a 1-0 deficit to take the lead in the series, the seamer spearheaded India’s resistance, first starring in Adelaide with four for 61.
Onward to Brisbane and Bumrah blitzed the Australian batting lineup in the first innings, recording six for 76 in a fearsome spell in the first innings and three for 18 in the second. Another nine-wicket return in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne included a spell of five for 57 in the second innings, upon which the 31-year-old set a new record for the highest rating points tally by any Indian bowler in history.
Bumrah will be hoping for continued success in the coming weeks, where he is nominated for two of the top honours in the ICC Awards 2024 – the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year Award and the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
ICC Women’s Player of the Month, Sutherland capped a landmark year with the bat and ball starring in Australia’s recent wins over India and New Zealand, notching 269 runs at 67.25 and nine wickets in her five outings.
Sutherland began with four for 39 in a commanding victory over India in the second ODI in Brisbane, before she followed up in explosive fashion with the bat – striking 110 in 98 balls in the final match to claim the Player of the Series prize. The subsequent series against New Zealand across the Tasman Sea saw another display of batting prowess, and the 23-year-old hit a statement 105 runs in just 81 balls en route to opening victory by 65 runs (DLS).
The second matchup saw her hit another 42 runs and take three wickets as Australia claimed back-to-back ODI series sweeps and Sutherland a second successive Player of the Series accolade. The all-rounder is also in contention for the ICC Awards 2024 and is nominated in both the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year category and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year.
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