Harry Brook, Ashleigh Gardner named ICC Players of the Month

Ashleigh Gardner and Harry Brook
| Photo Credit: The Hindu/AP

Harry Brook on January 10, 2023 bagged his maiden ICC Men’s Player of the Month crown after a blistering run of scores which helped England claim a historic World Test Championship (WTC) series victory in Pakistan.

Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner secured the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award as her contributions with bat and ball guided her side to T20I series victory in India, and led her to the summit of the Player Rankings for all-rounders.

Both scoop their awards following a global vote conducted among media representatives, ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and fans registered at icc-cricket.com.

Brook was largely unstoppable during England’s triumphant Test return to Pakistan, scoring centuries in each match as the tourists sealed a 3-0 victory. Despite having only played a solitary Test match before arriving in Pakistan, Brook lit up the series with his aggressive strokeplay and firepower, seamlessly integrating into England’s pioneering style of play in the longer format.

He started the series in Rawalpindi in emphatic fashion, hitting 19 fours and five sixes on his way to a blistering 153 in the first innings, before another quickfire 87 in the second innings ensured Pakistan fell short on a dramatic final day. This set the tone for his breakout month, and he followed up with two further impressive centuries – 108 in Multan and 111 in Karachi.

Australia’s talented all-rounder Gardner celebrates her maiden Player of the Month crown to cap a landmark month.

Gardner’s impressive 2022 ended with a flourish in December as she registered a total of 115 runs at an impressive strike rate of 166.66, taking seven wickets along the way at an average of 18.28 in the hard fought T20I series victory against rivals India.