Hasaranga, Gardner win ICC ‘Player of the Month’ award

Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner.
| Photo Credit: AP

Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga and Australian women’s team all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner were on Tuesday named ICC’s ‘Player of the Month’ for their impressive performances in June.

Hasaranga clinched the award following his record-breaking feats at the World Cup Qualifier games in Zimbabwe.

Women’s Ashes hero Ashleigh Gardner becomes the first player to win three Player-of-the-Month accolades.

Both players were selected as the standout performers following a vote conducted among a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, media representatives and global cricket fans registered at icc-cricket.com, who had been voting since the nominees were announced last week.

With 26 wickets at an average of 10 per scalp during the calendar month, Hasaranga enjoyed several highlights during the prolific period. Heading into the Qualifier as one of the key threats in a strong Sri Lankan lineup, the spinner started in fine fashion.

Claiming six wickets in the tournament opener against the UAE, and following up with 5/13 and 5/79 against Oman and Ireland respectively, Hasaranga became the first spinner in history to take three consecutive five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket, setting Sri Lanka on course for qualification to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India which starts on October 5.

“It (award) comes at an important moment for Sri Lanka Cricket, after we made it to the Cricket World Cup in India. I am privileged and honoured to have been chosen as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month,” Hasaranga was quoted as saying in an ICC release.

Hasaranga becomes the first Sri Lanka player to win the award since Prabath Jayasuriya in July 2022.

Hasaranga emerged victorious from a strong field of candidates including another star performer at the Qualifier, Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams, and the Player of the Match from the ICC World Test Championship Final, Australia’s Travis Head.

Gardner celebrated another prize after driving Australia to early success in the ongoing Women’s Ashes series. Trent Bridge was the stage of Gardner’s success, most notably with the ball, spinning Australia to a comfortable 89-run win to begin with a Test win.

She followed up a valuable 40 in Australia’s first innings with a four-wicket spell to help maintain a slender advantage over the hosts.

Despite failing with the bat in Australia’s reply, Gardner’s sensational off-spin was the difference. Incredible figures of eight for 66 — the best figures for Australia in a women’s Test — included all five wickets to fall on the final day.

“To win an Ashes Test match at Trent Bridge was a special moment for our team and I’m happy I was able to contribute towards the win. Winning a Test match overseas is one of the biggest challenges in cricket, it’s certainly a game that we will remember for a long time to come.”

Gardner won her third Player-of-the-Month crown by overcoming fellow nominees Tammy Beaumont of England and Hayley Matthews of the West Indies.