Shubman Gill, Steve Smith, and Annabel Sutherland Nominated for February's ICC Player of the Month Awards

Dubai, March 7 (NationPress) Shubman Gill, Steve Smith, and Annabel Sutherland are listed among the nominees for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for February.

Entering the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 with remarkable form, these three standout players are contenders for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month.

Gill made headlines with an exceptional performance in India’s decisive series win against England prior to the tournament, reclaiming the top position in the ODI batter rankings ahead of their opening match against Bangladesh. In three matches against England, he contributed significantly with scores of 87 and 60, capped off with a magnificent 112 in Ahmedabad, leading to a commanding series sweep.

Glenn Phillips, the Blackcaps all-rounder, also prepared impressively for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, delivering vital runs in the middle order to secure the Tri-Nation Series in Pakistan earlier in February. He achieved unbeaten scores of 28 and 20 after a brilliant 106 off 74 balls, which included seven sixes during the Tri-Nation Series in Lahore.

As the tournament commenced, Phillips continued his excellent form, scoring a rapid 61 off 39 balls and making a stunning catch to dismiss Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan, ensuring the Blackcaps maintained their target in a 60-run victory in Karachi.

Despite a quieter form in the Champions Trophy, Steve Smith once again took center stage as stand-in captain during Australia’s dominant 2-0 World Test Championship series triumph over Sri Lanka in Galle. The opening Test featured a formidable 141 alongside Usman Khawaja, followed by a remarkable 131 in the first innings of the second Test, sealing a nine-wicket victory that earned him the Player of the Series honor and a place back among the top five Test batters in the ICC Player Rankings.

For the ICC Women’s Player of the Month nominees for February:

Alana King, Australia’s leading leg-spinner, had an impressive Women’s Ashes series, playing a crucial role in their standalone Test victory in Melbourne, resulting in a landmark series sweep. Key wickets of Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, and Wyatt-Hodge in the middle order came as King took four for 45 in the first innings, and she made her mark on the honors board with a career-best five for 53 in the second innings.

A previous winner in May 2023, Thipatcha Putthawong from Thailand was again instrumental in her team’s success in February, leading the wicket-taking charts as her side clinched the Nepal Women’s Tri-Nation Series. In just six days at the start of the month, Putthawong took 14 wickets, including four consecutive hauls of three wickets or more. Not only did she excel with the ball, but she also contributed a crucial unbeaten 25 before taking four for 10 in Thailand’s thrilling five-run victory over the hosts on February 4.

Although she did not win the individual honors for which she was nominated at the recently announced ICC Awards 2024 (ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year), Annabel Sutherland continued her momentum from last year with an impressive 163 in the Ashes Test victory over England, becoming the first woman to score a Test century at the venue in her outstanding Player of the Match performance.