The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the shortlists for the ICC Player of the Month awards for August, featuring standout cricketers from South Africa, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Ireland. The awards, which recognize top individual performances across men’s and women’s cricket, see Keshav Maharaj, Jayden Seales, and Dunith Wellalage vying for the men’s award, while Harshitha Samarawickrama, Orla Prendergast, and Gaby Lewis compete for the women’s accolade.
ICC Player of the Month Nominees for August
Keshav Maharaj (South Africa)
South African spinner Keshav Maharaj is aiming for his second Player of the Month award, having previously won it in April 2022. Maharaj delivered an impressive series performance against the West Indies in the ICC World Test Championship, taking 13 wickets across two matches. In the drawn first Test in Port of Spain, Maharaj grabbed four wickets in each innings, removing key batters from the top order. In the second Test in Guyana, his five-wicket haul helped South Africa secure a 40-run win.
Jayden Seales (West Indies)
West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales had a spectacular series against South Africa, finishing with 12 wickets. His nine-wicket performance in Guyana was a highlight, leading to his rise to a career-best 13th position in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings. Seales is now the highest-ranked Test bowler from the West Indies, solidifying his reputation as a formidable new-ball bowler.
Dunith Wellalage (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka’s rising star Dunith Wellalage impressed in the ODI series against India, where he was named Player of the Series. Wellalage, an all-rounder, contributed both with the bat and ball, scoring 67 not out, 39, and two runs in the series. He was particularly effective with the ball, taking seven wickets, including a stellar performance of 5 for 27 in the third match, which helped Sri Lanka secure a 2-0 series win.
ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for August
Harshitha Samarawickrama (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka batter Harshitha Samarawickrama continued her strong form from the Asia Cup during the team’s tour of Ireland. Samarawickrama amassed 151 runs in two T20Is at a strike rate of 169.66 and followed it up with 172 runs in three ODIs. Her standout performances included an unbeaten 86 off 45 balls in the first T20I and a century (105) in the second ODI, making her only the third Sri Lankan woman to score an ODI hundred.
Orla Prendergast (Ireland)
Ireland all-rounder Orla Prendergast played a key role in Ireland’s 2-1 ODI series win over Sri Lanka. The 22-year-old shone in the first ODI with a blazing 122 not out off 107 deliveries, in addition to taking three wickets for 25 runs. Her consistent form continued throughout the series, with scores of 29 and 38 in the two T20Is. Prendergast’s all-round skills earned her the Player of the Match in the first ODI and cemented her position as one of Ireland’s leading cricketers.
Gaby Lewis (Ireland)
Ireland opener Gaby Lewis also had an exceptional month, scoring 158 runs in two T20Is at an impressive strike rate of 146.29. Lewis’s highlight was a stunning 119 in the second T20I, setting a record for the highest individual score for Ireland in T20I cricket. Although her ODI campaign was cut short due to a quad injury, her performances in the T20 format were enough to secure her a spot on the shortlist.
ICC Player of the Month Voting Process
The ICC Player of the Month nominees are shortlisted based on their performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month. The winners are decided by a combination of votes from the ICC Voting Academy and fans worldwide. The Voting Academy, comprising journalists, former players, broadcasters, and ICC Hall of Fame members, holds a 90% share of the vote, while registered fans account for the remaining 10% of the vote. Winners are announced on the second Monday of each month through the ICC’s digital platforms.
Voting Academy Members
The Voting Academy includes representatives from various cricketing nations, such as Javed Hamim (Afghanistan), Daniel Cherny and Lisa Sthalekar (Australia), Mazhar Uddin and Md Ariful Islam Roney (Bangladesh), and Chris Stocks and Lydia Greenway (England). It also features Ger Siggins and Clare Shillington (Ireland), S Gomesh and Shivani Gupta (India), Craig Cumming (New Zealand), and Sawera Pasha and Sana Mir (Pakistan). The South African representatives are Zaahier Adams and Ashwell Prince, while Azzam Ameen and Farveez Maharoof represent Sri Lanka. West Indies contributors include Daren Ganga and Stacy Ann King, with Lawrence Trusida and Grant Flower from Zimbabwe. Additionally, Darren Allan Kyeyune and Kyle Coetzer provide insight from other regions.
To learn more about the ICC Player of the Month awards, including previous winners and the voting process, visit the ICC’s official website.
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