After her outstanding achievements during the Women’s Ashes series, Australia’s leg-spin star Alana King was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for February 2025. King earned the coveted recognition, surpassing both Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong and her teammate Annabel Sutherland.
This marks the third consecutive month that an Australian player has claimed the award. Sutherland received the honour in December 2024, while Beth Mooney claimed it in January 2025. This accomplishment, which is King’s first time receiving the prestigious ICC monthly award, is a testament to her growth in international cricket.
In the one-off Ashes Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), King was instrumental in Australia’s emphatic victory. Her outstanding bowling performance secured a decisive innings-and-122-run triumph for the home team. The leg-spinner dismantled England’s batting order, finishing the match with combined figures of nine wickets for just 98 runs.
King’s contributions were pivotal in both innings. She led Australia’s bowling attack to dismiss England for 170 in the first innings with an impressive 4/45. Returning with even greater impact in the second innings, she took 5/53 as England collapsed for just 148, giving Australia a comprehensive win. Her ability to extract bounce and turn on the MCG pitch played a crucial role. Additionally, King contributed useful runs with the bat and took two key catches in the field.
King’s performance was central to helping Australia secure the Ashes and achieve a historic 16-0 whitewash in the multi-format series—a feat never before accomplished in Women’s Ashes history. The highlight of the series, however, remains the “ball of the century” she delivered to dismiss Sophia Dunkley off the second ball of the 37th over. The pink ball drifted and dipped outside Dunkley’s leg stump, forcing the English batter to lean forward, presenting the full face of her bat, believing she had covered the spin. However, the ball gripped, turned viciously, and clipped the top of off stump.
In response to the honour, King credited her team for their collective success. “It’s been a big summer for the girls, and we’re obviously really pleased to have retained the Ashes the way we did. I was proud to have played a role in that success and will remember that series, in particular the Test match, for a long time. There’s no bigger stage than an Ashes Test on the MCG, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it,” she said.
The 29-year-old bowling all-rounder has firmly established herself as a vital part of Australia’s team across all formats. In Test cricket, she has taken 13 wickets in five matches at a remarkable economy rate of 2.63. In ODIs, she has claimed 58 wickets in 37 games, including a career-best 5/46, also coming in the same Ashes series. In T20Is, King has taken 24 wickets in 25 matches, with her best figures being 4/8.
Alana King’s recognition as the ICC Women’s Player of the Month underscores her impact as a match-winner for Australia. Her versatility across formats and consistent ability to deliver in crucial moments have made her an indispensable member of the team.
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