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On Monday, August 12, the International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the winners of the ICC Men’s Player of the Month and ICC Women’s Player of the Month awards for July 2024. Previously, the ICC had announced Gus Atkinson, Washington Sundar, and Charlie Cassell as nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month.
Gus Atkinson, the emerging pace sensation from England, has been awarded ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July 2024. His standout performance in his debut Test series against the West Indies secured him the accolade, surpassing India’s Sundar and Scotland’s Cassell.
Gus Atkinson was named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July 2024 following a remarkable Test debut.
Atkinson’s brilliant bowling throughout the three-match Test series played a crucial role in England’s 3-0 whitewash of the West Indies on home soil. His exceptional pace and accuracy eclipsed the performances of India’s Sundar and Scotland’s Cassell, who also shone last month.
This accolade reflects Atkinson’s remarkable impact in his Test debut series. He made a striking entrance by claiming 12 wickets in his first match, including two five-wicket hauls at Lord’s. His 7/45 in the first innings led to the West Indies being dismissed for 121, and his subsequent 5/61 contributed to a significant victory for England.
Atkinson’s stellar form continued throughout the series, with 10 more wickets in the final two Tests, including a four-wicket haul in the last game. Accumulating a total of 22 wickets across the three Tests, Atkinson earned the Player of the Series title and has now been honored with the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for July 2024.
It is a real privilege to win the ICC Player of the Month award: Atkinson
Gus Atkinson was quoted as saying by the ICC on winning the award: “It is a real privilege to win the ICC Player of the Month! The start to my Test career has been unbelievable, and I never imagined achieving this level of success in my first series with England. I am incredibly grateful to my teammates and the fantastic environment created by Baz (Brendon McCullum) and Stokesy (Ben Stokes).”
The star pacer added, “It’s an honour to play and represent my country. I know there is a lot of hard work ahead, especially with a big series against Sri Lanka coming up. I’m excited to maintain consistency and do my best to help England succeed.”
Chamari Athapaththu won the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for July 2024 due to her outstanding Asia Cup performance.
Sri Lanka’s dynamic captain, Chamari Athapaththu, has been awarded the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for July 2024, besting strong competitors like India’s opening stars Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma.
This honor represents Athapaththu’s third ICC Women’s Player of the Month award, placing her level with West Indies’ Hayley Matthews as the second-most awarded cricketer in the category’s history. She now trails only Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner, who holds four awards.
Athapaththu’s exceptional performance was pivotal in Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup 2024 victory, where she amassed 304 runs at an impressive strike rate of 146.85 last month.
