ICC Player of the Month award for September declared

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the winners of the ICC Player of the Month awards for September 2022. Pakistan ace Mohammad Rizwan claims the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award, while India’s inspirational captain Harmanpreet Kaur is named the recipient of the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award.

The Pakistan star amassed a mammoth 553 runs from ten T20Is, covering performances in the Men’s Asia Cup and the subsequent home T20I series against a touring England side. With an eye-catching batting average of 69.12 during the month, the talismanic opener also registered seven half-centuries to illustrate why he sits atop the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I batter rankings.

Rizwan will be a key figure for Pakistan heading into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in six days’ time, and he emphasised his importance during Pakistan’s surge to the Asia Cup Final, registering three half-centuries in the latter stages of the tournament, including scores of 71 against India and 55 in the Final against eventual winners Sri Lanka. He carried his impressive form into the series against England, notching four further half-centuries, the highlight being his unbeaten 88 in partnership with captain Babar Azam as his side claimed a ten-wicket victory in the second T20I chasing down an imposing target of 199.

Kaur becomes India’s first winner of Player of the Month

The India skipper was at her brilliant best during the ODI series against England, scoring 221 runs across the three matches, maintaining a strike rate of 103.47 and only being dismissed once. She displayed control and poise in the first match of the series at Hove, and her 74 not out helped her side chase down England’s total of 228 at a canter to win by seven wickets.

While that was impressive, without doubt the highlight of her month came in the second showdown. Batting first, she led from the front with a thrilling 143 not out from 111 balls. Smashing 18 fours and four maximums, the full repertoire of her strokeplay was on show, and as England faltered in pursuit of the 334 target set by the tourists, Kaur and her teammates wrote themselves into the history books.