The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the contenders for the Women’s Player of the Month (POTM) for May 2024, highlighting a rich variety of talent.
May featured the high-stakes ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, where Sri Lanka and Scotland earned their places in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. Among the nominees are a Sri Lankan all-rounder who guided her team to victory in the Qualifier and a Scottish captain who led her team to their first T20 World Cup appearance. The final nominee is the ICC top-ranked bowler in both ODI and T20I formats.
Kathryn Bryce (Scotland)
Scottish captain Kathryn Bryce played a crucial role in leading her team to their Maiden T20 World Cup. Although she faced challenges in the final, her leadership and on-field contributions were key. Bryce’s key performance came in the final group match against Thailand, where she scored an unbeaten 63* from 58 balls, leading Scotland to a six-wicket win and earning the Player of the Match award. Her standout moment occurred in the semi-final against Ireland, where she took 4 wickets against 8 runs to restrict Ireland to 110/9 and then scored an unbeaten 35* to secure a smooth chase. This victory ended Ireland’s 10-match winning streak and Bryce earned her consecutive Player of the Match in the mont of May, at the end of the tournament Bryce received the accolade of the Player of the Tournament for the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.
Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)
Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka’s top scorer in both limited-overs formats, is once again in contention for the Women’s Player of the Month award after winning it last September. Her latest nomination comes after a dominant display in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024, where she finished as the leading run-scorer with 266 runs across 6 matches. Despite a slow start, she ended the tournament on a high, smashing a century (102 runs off 63 balls) in the final to secure the title for Sri Lanka. This remarkable century was the first ever in T20 WC Qualifier history.
Throughout her four matches in May, Athapaththu amassed 151 runs at an average of 37.75. Additionally, she excelled with the ball, claiming six wickets at an average of 9.16 runs per wicket, winning the Player of the Match accolade in the finals.
Sophie Ecclestone (England)
Sophie Ecclestone is vying for her second POTM award, having previously won in June 2021. Ecclestone was pivotal in England’s recent T20I and ODI series victories against Pakistan. In the T20I series, she contributed 28 runs and took five wickets at an average of 9.4, helping England achieve a 3-0 T20I series sweep. In the ODI series, she played a key role in England’s 2-0 win, with the second ODI curtailed by rain. Ecclestone’s six wickets in two games came at an impressive average of 6.83. She was named Player of the Match in the first ODI with figures of 3/26 and again in the third ODI with 3/15, ultimately securing the Player of the Series award.