Dubai, Nov 6 (NationPress) Smriti Mandhana, Laura Wolvaardt, and Ashleigh Gardner have been nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Month for October.

These three athletes were key players in their teams during the recent ICC Women's World Cup, which concluded with India triumphing over South Africa by 52 runs in the final held at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai last Sunday.

After a slow start, Smriti Mandhana found her rhythm with a stunning 80 against Australia, followed by a determined 88 against England.

Despite India narrowly losing both matches, Mandhana's form was a silver lining as they prepared for a crucial game against New Zealand. She responded brilliantly with a remarkable 109, forming a match-winning partnership of 212 runs with Pratika Rawal.

Mandhana maintained her excellent form throughout the tournament, consistently providing solid starts against Bangladesh and Australia.

Laura Wolvaardt emerged as the highest run-scorer in the World Cup, amassing 470 runs in eight matches in October. She recorded three half-centuries, including a monumental 169 that helped secure a semifinal victory against England, leading to a thrilling final against the hosts, India.

Interestingly, India’s all-rounder Deepti Sharma was not included in the shortlist despite being named the Player of the Tournament, as her standout performances occurred outside of October.

In addition, Ashleigh Gardner made significant strides, reaching the top three in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings across all categories during this period. She took seven wickets and scored 328 runs, with remarkable innings of 115 against New Zealand and 104 not out against England during the World Cup.