Double Delight for India: Bumrah and Mandhana Shine in ICC Player of the Month Awards

June 2024 was a golden month for Indian cricket, with both the men’s and women’s teams achieving remarkable feats. To add to the celebratory mood, India has secured a historic double win at the ICC Player of the Month awards, with Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana being named the best performers for June.

This is a first in the history of the awards, which began in 2021. Both Bumrah and Mandhana emerged victorious after a global fan vote and the evaluation of a specialist panel.

Bumrah’s stellar performance was instrumental in India’s triumphant run at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. His consistent bowling, with excellent control and accuracy, helped tighten the grip on opposing teams throughout the tournament. He picked up crucial wickets in high-pressure situations, including the dramatic win against arch-rivals Pakistan.

His three wickets for just seven runs against Afghanistan and two wickets each against Bangladesh and England in the semi-final showcased his dominance. However, it was the final against South Africa where he truly shone. With the match on a knife-edge, Bumrah delivered a match-winning spell, taking a key wicket and restricting runs in his final overs. This ultimately sealed India’s first ICC trophy in 13 years.

His exceptional performance throughout the tournament earned him a well-deserved Player of the Tournament title, with an impressive tally of 15 wickets at an exceptional average and economy rate.

Reacting to his award win, the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June, Jasprit Bumrah, commented: “I am delighted to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June. It’s a special honour for me following a memorable few weeks spent in the USA and West Indies. We have had a lot to celebrate as a team, and I’m delighted to be able to add this personal accolade to the list. To perform as well as we did at the tournament and lift the trophy at the end is incredibly special, and I will carry those memories with me forever.”

“I wish to congratulate my captain Rohit Sharma and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for their excellent performances in the same period, and I am humbled to have been chosen as the winner. Finally, I want to thank my family, all of my teammates and coaches as well as the fans who have voted for me. Their support pushes me to compete at the best of my ability in national colours.”

 

Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana, the vice-captain of the Indian women’s team, was equally impressive. Her phenomenal batting display powered India to a clean sweep in their ODI series against South Africa.