India’s all-format skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur who claimed the Player of the Month (POTM) award in September is followed by Pakistan’s Nida Dar. The International Cricket Council (ICC) have revealed the winner of the Player of the Month for October which sees Pakistan’s Nida Dar, outscoring the Indian duo of Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma.
The 35-year-old all-rounder produced a string of impactful performances for Pakistan in the recently concluded, 8th edition of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup. Nida Dar in 6 matches scored 145 runs at an average of 72.50 and bagged 8 wickets at an average of 14.87.
She with the ball got her tournament underway with a 0/6 against Malaysia and then registered figures of 2/19, 2/26 and 2/23 over the next three games against hosts Bangladesh, Thailand, and India respectively. She didn’t have a bowl in the game against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and then closed the tournament out with figures of 1/25 and 1/20, both against Sri Lanka.
Scoring 145 runs at an average of 72.50 during the last month and taking 8 wickets, Nida Dar edge out Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma for the ICC honor
Congratulations @CoolNidadar 🥳👏#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/5LoseBGEjE
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) November 7, 2022
Nida Dar’s consistent run with the ball was reflected in her batting as well as she topped her 12 against Thailand, with a crucial 56* against India that helped her side bag a win and carried on the good form as she scored 25* against the UAE, 26* against Sri Lanka in the final league stage game and again against Sri Lanka, this time around in the Semi-Final scored a 26, again.
Nida Dar on claiming the award said, “It was great to be nominated for the award and to win it is very special to me. I wish we could have won the Women’s Asia Cup, but I am happy that we as a team are performing, and the recent series win against Ireland at home shows the commitment the girls are putting into their game. I take great pride in representing my country and my aim is to contribute in my team winning as much as I can.”
Rewarded for her consistent performances in the Asia Cup, 35-year-old, Nida Dar is Pakistan’s second to have claimed the award. It previously was 21-year-old, Tuba Hassan, who in May debuted against Sri Lanka at home and for having finished with the best bowling figures for a Pakistani debutant, 3/8 off 4 overs was Pakistan’s first to win the POTM award.
