Daily Times

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has awarded Pakistan’s Nouman Ali and New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and ICC Players of the Month for October 2024.

The winners were selected through a voting process that included fans worldwide and a panel of experts, which featured ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives.

Noman Ali excelled in his role, claiming 20 wickets in just two Tests against England in the recently-concluded test series.

This outstanding performance pushed him up eight spots to a career-best ninth in the ICC Test Bowling Rankings, with 759 rating points.

Noman Ali was the highest wicket-taker against England test series, having taken 20 wickets at an average of 13.85 and an economy rate of 3.04.

Amelia Kerr, the all-rounder from New Zealand, played a vital role in her team’s journey to victory at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Her impressive performances with both bat and ball made her a standout player in the tournament. Noman Ali was just as essential to Pakistan’s success, leading their comeback in a Test series win against England on home ground.

Kerr faced stiff competition from Deandra Dottin and Laura Wolvaardt, both key players in the Women’s T20 World Cup, to win the award. Noman, on the other hand, edged out strong contenders in the men’s category, such as South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, who were also top wicket-takers in recent World Test Championship matches.

With a total of 160 runs and 19 wickets in October, including a record-setting 15 wickets at the T20 World Cup, Kerr’s performances reached new heights. Her all-round contributions, particularly against top teams like Australia, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies, helped her secure the Player of the Tournament title and leave a mark on New Zealand’s cricket history.

Kerr’s standout moments included 29 runs and four wickets against Australia, 34 runs and two wickets versus Sri Lanka, and brilliant bowling figures of three for 14 against Pakistan. In the semi-final, she was crucial with a two-for-14 spell that led to a victory over the West Indies.