Sri Lanka’s spin sensation, Prabath Jayasuriya, and England women’s cricket team’s emerging all-rounder, Emma Lamb, were named the ICC ‘Player of the Month’ for July in their respective categories.
In a closely contested race, the 30-year-old Jayasuriya faced tough competition from England’s in-form batter Jonny Bairstow, who was the Player of the Month for June, and French youngster Gustav McKeon. Jayasuriya, who made his Test debut in Sri Lanka’s final Test match against Australia in Galle earlier in July, played a pivotal role by claiming 12 wickets and guiding Sri Lanka to a series-leveling victory. He continued his impressive form with another 17 wickets in the recently-concluded two-match Test series against Pakistan.
Expressing his delight, Jayasuriya said, “I am delighted with this announcement and wish to thank the fans for voting me as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month. Certainly, it has been an incredible month for me, as I made the Test debut and also got the opportunity to contribute for my team to level the Test series played against Australia and Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, Emma Lamb emerged victorious in the women’s category, beating out competition from her compatriot Nat Sciver and India pacer Renuka Singh. The 24-year-old all-rounder showcased an exceptional performance in a three-match ODI series against South Africa, amassing 234 runs, including a match-winning century (102 off 97 balls) and two half-centuries (67 off 65 balls and 65 off 66 balls) in the subsequent games.
Expressing her excitement, Lamb said, “It’s very exciting to have been awarded the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for July. I’m very happy to have earned my spot at the top of the order in the Test and ODI team, and it’s been brilliant to be able to score some runs and help the team win.”
Lamb acknowledged the collective effort of the squad in their multi-format series win against South Africa and expressed her determination to continue contributing to the team’s success.
