January 14th 2025.
In a heartfelt message, Jay Shah, the Chairman of the International Cricket Council, extended his warmest congratulations to India's Jasprit Bumrah and Australia's Annabel Sutherland for being named the Men's and Women's Players of the Month for December. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Shah expressed his delight and admiration for the two talented cricketers who have been making waves in the sport.
Shah also mentioned that Bumrah and Sutherland are both nominees for the ICC's most prestigious individual awards in 2024 - the Sir Garfield Sobers ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year and the Rachel Heyhoe-Flint ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year. These winners will be announced later this month, and Shah is rooting for both of them to take home the honors.
Bumrah and Sutherland were announced as the winners of the award on Tuesday, and it was well-deserved for both of them. Bumrah, who is currently the top-ranked Test bowler, played a crucial role in India's thrilling Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. His bowling spells were nothing short of destructive, and he proved to be a formidable obstacle to Australia's resurgence. On the other hand, Sutherland was in exceptional form during Australia's ODI encounters against India and New Zealand, earning her the Player of the Series accolades twice for her outstanding all-round performances.
Shah also mentioned that this is Bumrah's second ICC Men's Player of the Month award, beating out fellow nominees Pat Cummins and Dane Paterson, who were both instrumental in Australia's journey to the World Test Championship. Sutherland, on the other hand, also clinched her second ICC Women's Player of the Month award, surpassing competition from Smriti Mandhana and Nonkululeko Mlaba in the global voting process.
Bumrah's remarkable year on the international stage came to a close with his exceptional performances in Australia, where he took 22 wickets in the three Tests of December at an average of 14.22. As Australia gained momentum and took the lead in the series, Bumrah stepped up and led India's resistance. His standout performance in Adelaide, where he took four wickets for 61 runs, set the tone for the rest of the series. In the final Test in Brisbane, Bumrah once again dominated with six wickets for 76 runs in the first innings and three for 18 in the second. He continued his impressive run in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, taking nine wickets and setting a new record for the highest rating points by an Indian bowler in history.
As the year comes to an end, Bumrah is hoping for continued success as he is nominated for two of the top honors in the ICC Awards 2024 - the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year Award and the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year.
Meanwhile, Sutherland, the ICC Women's Player of the Month, had a remarkable year with both the bat and the ball. She played a pivotal role in Australia's recent wins over India and New Zealand, scoring 269 runs at an average of 67.25 and taking nine wickets in just five matches.
In the second ODI against India, Sutherland shone with the ball, taking four wickets for 39 runs and helping Australia secure a commanding victory. She followed it up with an explosive performance with the bat, hitting 110 runs in just 98 balls in the final match and earning the Player of the Series award. In the series against New Zealand, Sutherland continued to impress with her batting skills, scoring a statement 105 runs in just 81 balls in the opening match. She also put in a strong all-around performance in the second match, scoring 42 runs and taking three wickets, leading Australia to another series sweep and earning her a second consecutive Player of the Series accolade.
The talented all-rounder is also nominated for the ICC Awards 2024 and is a contender for both the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year and the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year. Shah wishes both Bumrah and Sutherland the best of luck as they continue to make their mark in the cricket world.
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