Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu has been named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for May 2024, narrowly beating strong contenders, Scotland’s skipper Kathryn Bryce and ICC’s top-ranked white-ball bowler Sophie Ecclestone. Athapaththu’s stellar performance in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier earned her this prestigious award.
Athapaththu, who previously won the accolade in September, secured it again after leading her team to victory in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, ensuring Sri Lanka’s spot in Group A of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2024.
Despite tough competition from Kathryn Bryce, who led Scotland to a runners-up finish in the qualifier, and Sophie Ecclestone, England’s standout spinner, Athapaththu emerged victorious. Her consistent excellence has cemented her status as a modern-day cricket legend, being ICC’s ODI Player Of The Year (2023) and Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer in both white-ball formats.
During the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, Athapaththu was the leading run-scorer in the tournament, accumulating 266 runs across six matches. Although she had a relatively indifferent start, she finished the tournament on a high note, scoring a stunning century (102 runs off 63 balls) in the final to clinch the title for Sri Lanka. This century was historic, being the first ever in T20 WC Qualifier history.
In her four matches in May, Athapaththu scored 151 runs at an average of 37.75. She also shone with the ball, taking six wickets at an average of 9.16 runs per wicket, earning her the Player of the Match accolade in the final.
Chamari Athapaththu expressed her profound gratitude and pride upon receiving the ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award, emphasizing that such consistent recognition serves as a significant motivator for her to elevate her game and maintain her strong performance. She acknowledged the exceptional talent of her fellow nominees, Kathryn Bryce and Sophie Ecclestone, commending their impressive records and extending her best wishes to them. Chamari also took the opportunity to thank her teammates for their unwavering support, which has been an add-on to her achievements.
She mentioned, “I am extremely delighted and honoured to once again receive the ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award, and wish to mention that continuous recognition at this level keeps me motivated to further up my game and continue the good performance.”