Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan star batsman Fakhar Zaman has won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after he produced dominant match-winning performances for his country in the One-say International (ODI) format. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the winners of the ICC Player of the Month awards for April 2023. Thailand skipper Naruemol Chaiwai secures the ICC Women’s Player of the Month. Both batters were identified as April’s outstanding performers following a vote conducted among a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives who had been voting since the nominees were announced last week.

Fakhar becomes the first Pakistan player to win the monthly accolade since Sidra Ameen in November 2022, and does so on the back of two crucial match-winning centuries in Pakistan’s ODI series success against touring New Zealand. Following a quiet T20I series, Fakhar was at the forefront of his side’s success in the subsequent ODI showdowns. Chasing 289 in the first match in Rawalpindi, the batter enjoyed a 124-run opening stand with Imam-ul-Haq in a supreme display of control and counter-attacking play, eventually securing a five-wicket win thanks to 117 runs in 114 balls. Set a mammoth target of 337 in the second ODI at the same venue, Fakhar once again shined in an outstanding display of hitting and partnership building. His memorable, unbeaten 180 in 144 balls was the key contribution as Pakistan recorded their second highest ever successful ODI chase.

Reflecting on his success, Fakhar commented, “It is truly an honour for me to be named ICC Player of the Month for April. This month has been one of the highlights of my career and it was an amazing feeling to play in front of my own people in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi. I really enjoyed scoring back-to-back centuries in Rawalpindi, but my favourite was the 180 not out in the second match. I hope to continue the momentum leading into the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and make Pakistan cricket fans happy and proud with my performances.”

Fakhar overcame fellow nominees Mark Chapman (New Zealand) and Prabath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) in the global vote, and commenting on his success in April, former Sri Lanka international and member of the voting panel Farveez Maharoof added, “Scoring consecutive centuries against a good team like New Zealand is a tough task. Fakhar not only did that, but he scored big hundreds, and he certainly deserves to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for April.”

Chaiwai celebrates winning the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for April following a consistent spell of high scoring across Thailand’s historic ODI series victory against Zimbabwe, which the hosts won 3-0. The Thai skipper was named Player of the Series for two unbeaten half-centuries en route to the series win. In the opening match, striding to the crease at 21 for four, her valuable 57 not out salvaged a defendable total for the hosts, who were able to then skittle the tourists cheaply for a 78-run victory.

The second of her important contributions came in the final ODI. A low scoring affair on a challenging surface, Chaiwai came to the crease at 29 for two, but her 52 from 60 balls was enough to secure the sweep for Thailand. The performance highlights Chaiwai’s reliable presence in Thailand’s middle order, and her side’s growing confidence in the ODI format. Elsewhere, Chaiwai also chipped in with 55 runs across the T20I series that followed, her 29 in the second T20I helping her side edge out Zimbabwe in a five-wicket win. Chaiwai emerged victorious from Kavisha Egodage of UAE, and Kelis Ndhlovu of Zimbabwe in the voting process, and becomes the first Thai player to be named ICC Player of the Month.