Motie among contenders for ICC Player of the Month
WEST INDIES left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie is under consideration for the ICC Player of the Month award for May.
According to a media release from the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s world organising body, the 29-year-old Guyanese is under consideration for the award after his Player of the Series exploits in a series sweep in three Twenty20 Internationals against South Africa played exclusively in Jamaica.
The other contenders for men’s award are Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Ireland wicketkeeper-batsman Lorcan Tucker.
Motie was the most impactful West Indies bowler in the home series against South Africa in May, taking eight wickets across three matches at an average of 8.50 apiece.
He took three for 25 in the opening contest to restrict the visitors’ chase, and he backed up that performance with another impressive spell of three for 22 to stifle the batting in the second fixture.
Another two wickets in the final match turned the tide in favour of the hosts and enabled Motie to take the Player of the Series accolade.
Afridi was nominated for the second successive month after another blistering spell of fast bowling, where he took 10 wickets in five T20Is during the month, which included three consecutive three-wicket hauls.
Lorcan was nominated for his explosive run-scoring in the second and third matches of Ireland’s series against Pakistan with successive quick-fire scores of 51 and 73, and he also hit 40 and 55 against the Netherlands in confidence-boosting wins ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, England left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone, and Scotland all-rounder Kathryn Bryce are vying for the women’s prize.
The winners will be announced next Monday on the ICC’s digital channels.