India all-rounder Washington Sundar has been shortlisted for the prestigious ICC Player of the Month award for July 2024.
Sundar was instrumental in India's 4-1 T20I series win over Zimbabwe last month. With the regular T20I players resting after the T20 World Cup triumph, the spin all-rounder grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
He played a pivotal role in India’s resurgence, picking up six more wickets across the remaining four matches. Sundar was named Player-of-the-Match in the third T20I for his remarkable figures of 3/15 and earned the Player-of-the-Series honour after finishing with the joint-most wickets (eight).
As the regulars returned for the Sri Lanka series, Sundar’s appearance was limited to just one match but he made the most of his opportunity in the third ODI, which was decided in the Super Over.
In a low-scoring affair, Washington Sundar’s crucial 25 off 18 balls helped India reach a competitive total of 137/8.
When Sri Lanka appeared to be cruising towards victory, needing just 23 runs from 24 balls with eight wickets in hand, Sundar struck twice in two deliveries during his final over, sparking a dramatic turnaround.
In the Super Over, Sundar was entrusted with the ball and he delivered brilliantly, claiming two wickets while conceding only two runs. India went on to win the match, completing a 3-0 series sweep over Sri Lanka.
Besides Sundar, England's Gus Atkinson and Scotland's Charlie Cassell have also been nominated for this award.
In what could be a passing of the torch moment at Lord's, Atkinson made his Test debut in what was James Anderson's farewell international match.
Atkinson made a fantastic first impression in his first Test, bagging 12 wickets, which included a five-for in each innings. The 26-year-old ran through the West Indies batting order to record incredible figures of 7/45 in the first innings, bundling out the visitors for just 121.
He followed up the initial heroics with yet another five-wicket haul (5/61) as England recorded an innings win by 114 runs. Atkinson continued his impressive form, taking 10 more wickets across the remaining two Tests.
Finishing as the series' leading wicket-taker with 22 dismissals, Atkinson bagged the Player of the Series award.
Scotland’s Charlie Cassell also hogged the headlines with his brilliance on ODI debut against Oman in Dundee last month. Cassell made an unforgettable first impression, claiming a remarkable seven-wicket haul (7/21) and breaking Kagiso Rabada’s nine-year-old record (6/16) for the best bowling figures on ODI debut.
(With ICC Inputs)
