The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the winners of the ICC Player of the Month awards for October 2022. Virat Kohli claims the ICC Men’s Player of the Month following a series of star performances as India charged their way to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup semi-finals, while Pakistan’s veteran all-rounder Nida Dar is the ICC Women’s Player of the Month thanks to her sensational form in their Women’s Asia Cup campaign.
Both Kohli and Dar were elected winners following a global vote conducted among media representatives, ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and fans registered at ICC-cricket.com.
Nida Dar taking to Twitter said: “Alhumdulliah I want to dedicate this award to my family especially my father who always backed me up whose relentless backing helped me to make it possible.”
Alhumdulliah 🤲 i want to dedicate this award to my family especially my father who always backed me up 😊who’s relentless backing help me to make it possible @icc @therealpcb @icasportsplus #iccpotm #girlsingreen #backourgirls #pakvsireland #asiacup2022 #worldcup2022 #icc pic.twitter.com/gMQ0wCWCUO
— Nida Dar (@CoolNidadar) November 7, 2022
After scoring 205 runs with the bat and demonstrating his complete range of batting skills during October, Kohli celebrates winning his maiden Player of the Month award. He scored an amazing inning in the thrilling triumph over Pakistan in front of a packed house in Melbourne to start their Super 12 campaign in the Men’s T20 World Cup, in addition to delivering a superb half-century against the Netherlands in Sydney. With his side trailing by four wickets at 31 for four, Kohli demonstrated his domination over the opposing bowlers in a spectacular act of restrained aggressiveness. Kohli’s unbroken 82 from 53 balls helped his team successfully chase down the 160 targets on the penultimate ball.
The India talisman wins the prize after being nominated for the first time. He defeats a strong field that featured Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza and South Africa’s in-form David Miller, both of whom made significant contributions at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
It is a wonderful honor for me to have been chosen as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for October, Kohli said in response to receiving the award. This honor is much more meaningful to me because the panel and fans from around the world chose me as the standout player.
I want to honor the other nominees who did so well throughout the month as well as my teammates who have continued to encourage me to work hard.
Daren Ganga, a former player for the West Indies and member of the ICC Player of the Month voting panel, continued, “Kohli is the ideal hitter. He showed tremendous courage to recover from a slump with the bat. He scored an unbeaten 49 against South Africa in October, and then at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” he added two half-centuries.
“That majestic knock against Pakistan will be remembered as one of the all-time best T20I innings. I saw it live at the MCG and to deliver in such style, on that occasion, is only a privilege enjoyed by the greats of this beautiful game.”
For her key contributions to Pakistan’s semi-final surge in the Women’s Asia Cup in Bangladesh, Nida Dar takes home the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for October.
Scoring 145 valuable runs at an average of 72.50 during the month and taking eight key wickets, the influential all-rounder underlined her importance to the Pakistan cause despite falling short in the knockout stages.
Among the highlights she enjoyed during October, Dar was sensational in the historic victory over India in Sylhet. Batting first, she arrived at the crease at 33 for three, before powering 56 not out to take them to a competitive score of 137. She then went on to star with the ball, taking the key wickets of Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues as the eventual tournament winners fell short in dramatic fashion.
Dar claims her inaugural ICC Women’s Player of the Month win by edging out Indian duo Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma, who each produced impressive displays during their winning Women’s Asia Cup triumph.
On winning the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for October, Dar commented: “It was great to be nominated for the award and to win it is very special to me. I wish we could have won the Women’s Asia Cup, but I am happy that we as a team are performing, and the recent series win against Ireland at home shows the commitment the girls are putting into their game.
“I take great pride in representing my country and my aim is to contribute to my team winning as much as I can.”
Former Netherlands and Australia international and member of the voting panel Dirk Nannes added: “Nida was in superb form throughout the month with bat and ball and has been a consistent figure for Pakistan women for some time.
“A focal point in the Pakistan bowling attack, she continues to be an important player for them, and she richly deserves to be the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for October.”
Fans can continue to vote every month for their favorite male and female cricketers across all formats of international cricket as part of the ICC Player of the Month initiative by registering at www.icc-cricket.com/awards.
