Following the release of the shortlists on Thursday of last week, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the winners of the November 2023 ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards. Travis Head of Australia has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for November. He helped lead his team to a thrilling victory in the Cricket World Cup semifinal against South Africa and the thrilling final triumph over India in Ahmedabad by winning Player of the Match in both games.
Nahida Akter, the master of spin, was not chosen in October’s poll, but she was declared the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for November due to her outstanding performance in taking wickets during the team’s home triumph over Pakistan in the competitive ODI series last month.
In June 2023, Head received a nomination for the first time for ICC Men’s Player of the Month as he was instrumental in Australia’s triumph over India in the ICC World Test Championship Final. This month, he surpasses himself by taking home the prize following two outstanding performances throughout the knockout rounds that led to their sixth Men’s Cricket World Cup victory.
The first team to fall victim to Head’s genius in the semi-final match in Kolkata was South Africa. Bowling first, the spinner restricted the Proteas total to a manageable 212 by dismissing the threatening Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen in consecutive balls. Australia brought down the mark with three wickets remaining after the opener, with bat in hand, responded with a strong pace and top scored with 62 from 48 balls.
But his greatest achievement was the ultimate victory against India. An efficient bowling effort and a spectacular sprinting catch in the outfield to remove Rohit Sharma came before an incredible batting showing that sealed the trophy.
Travis Head solidified his developing image as a player for the big moment by smashing a brilliant 137 in 120 balls to help Australia defeat the tournament hosts with the 241 needed for victory.
“It’s been an incredible 12 months for the team, which it has been a real privilege to be a part of,” Head said in response to receiving his award. It is a tribute to Pat, the players, and the staff that we have managed a home summer as well as away excursions to India, England, South Africa, India, and the World Cup.
After fracturing my hand, I was lucky that they still believed in me, so it was a wonderful chance for me to repay them. I thought my batting at the World Cup was some of the finest I’ve ever done, so perhaps the secret is to take a break before each season.
Receiving this award is a wonderful honor, but it was a team effort. This would not have been possible without my teammates in all formats, so these kinds of honors are just as much for them as they are for me.
Following her side’s hard-fought triumph over Pakistan in Mirpur last month, Nahida Akter also celebrated winning her first Player of the Month award.
Akter used a steady period of pressure bowling to take three wickets for thirty in the opening ODI match of the series. The spinner kept the match interesting by getting rid of Sidra Ameen, Bismah Maroof, and Aliya Riaz to hinder the tourists in their pursuit of victory, as Pakistan had to chase down a meager 82 to win.
After a more subdued second game, Akter once again shone in the pivotal third encounter. The tourists collapsed to 166 for nine in their fifty overs, thanks to an incredible economical 10-over performance that claimed three wickets for 26 runs. Nahida Akter colleagues then used their bats to win the series by seven wickets.
After capturing seven wickets at a strong average of 14.14 over the course of the three games, Nahida Akterr was named Player of the Series.
“This is a moment to cherish,” declared Nahida Akter, the ICC Women’s Player of the Month. It means a lot to receive recognition from this prestigious panel of cricket experts, and winning the ICC Women Player of the Month award will greatly motivate and inspire me.
We’ve played some incredible cricket in the past few months, and I’m thrilled to have had a part in the team’s victories. I have to express my gratitude to my captain, coaches, and teammates for their unwavering faith in me, which has enabled me to perform well under duress and play my natural game against elite opponents.
Travis Head and Akter won after a voting procedure that involved votes from fans worldwide who signed up at icc-cricket.com and a panel of experts made up of media representatives, past international players, and members of the ICC Hall of Fame.
Travis Head defeated record-breaking Indian bowler Mohammed Shami and another World Cup champion, Glenn Maxwell, to win the title in November, while Akter triumphed over two other notable players from the same series, Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal and fellow countryman Fargana Hoque.
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