Highlighting the best players from an exciting month of international cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the shortlists for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month awards for February.
Three of the tournament’s top players are the ICC Men’s Player of the Month nominees, carrying their impressive play into the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.
Before India’s opening triumph against Bangladesh, Shubman Gill made headlines with an outstanding performance in their resounding series victory over England prior to the event. He also reclaimed the top rank in the ODI Batter Rankings. Glenn Phillips of New Zealand started his Champions Trophy with a half-century on the first day of play and enjoyed an undefeated run at the crease in the Tri-Nation series in Pakistan. Australia captain Steve Smith, who dominated their World Test Championship series in Sri Lanka and achieved back-to-back hundreds, completes the lineup.
The roster also includes a prolific young Thai bowler and two heroes of Australia’s triumph in the stand-alone Women’s Ashes Test.
After a brilliant performance at the end of the Women’s Ashes series in Melbourne, spin master Alana King receives her maiden nomination for Player of the Month. Annabel Sutherland also shines with a massive score in the innings victory. Thipatcha Putthawong, a 20-year-old Thai bowling sensation who helped her team win the Nepal Women’s Tri-Nation Series, is the last nominee.
February ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees
Shubman Gill (Indian)
In February, India’s talismanic batsman returned to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Batter Rankings with 406 runs at an average of more than 100. He made significant contributions of 87 and 60 in three matches against England before securing a decisive series sweep in Ahmedabad with an outstanding 112. Under the lights in Dubai, the 25-year-old then started his Champions Trophy campaign with a magnificent 101 not out against Bangladesh, helping to chase down a difficult 229 target.
Glenn Phillips, (New Zealand)
By scoring crucial runs in the middle order to help the Blackcaps all-rounder win the Tri-Nation Series in Pakistan earlier in February, he prepared for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 in grand fashion. A spectacular 106 off 74 balls in Lahore, which included seven maximums, was followed by undefeated scores of 28 and 20. The Blackcaps then secured a 60-run victory in Karachi thanks to Phillips’ outstanding start to the competition, which included an equally fast 61 in 39 balls and a spectacular catch to dismiss Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan.
Steve Smith (Australian)
Smith once again grabbed the stage as Australia’s stand-in captain during their resounding 2-0 World Test Championship series sweep over Sri Lanka in Galle, despite his more muted form in the Champions Trophy. Together with Usman Khawaja, he scored a commanding 141 in the first Test. He then repeated the feat in the second Test, hitting 131 in the first innings of a nine-wicket victory that guaranteed him Player of the Series and a return to the top five Test hitters in the ICC Player Rankings.
February ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees
Alana King (Australia)
Australia’s top legspinner had a great Women’s Ashes campaign and was instrumental in their historic series sweep by winning the Melbourne solo Test. Before making history with a career-best return in the longest format with five for 53 in the second innings, King took four for 45 in the first innings, which included important middle-order wickets of Sciver-Brunt, Dunkley, and Wyatt-Hodge.
Thipatcha Putthawong (Thailand)
The Thailand left-armer, who had won in May 2023, was once again the catalyst for her team’s February victory, leading the wicket-taking charts as they won the Nepal Women’s Tri-Nation Series. Putthawong grabbed 14 wickets in six days in the beginning of the month, including four consecutive hauls of three wickets or more. In Thailand’s exciting five-run victory over the hosts on February 4, Putthawong not only made an impression with the ball but also smashed a crucial unbeaten 25 before taking four for ten.
Annabel Sutherland (Australian)
Sutherland continued where she left off at the end of the year with a brilliant 163 in the Ashes Test victory over England, becoming the first woman to score a Test century at the ground in her decisive Player of the Match performance, even though she did not receive the individual awards for which she was nominated in the recently announced ICC Awards 2024 (ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year).
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