Sri Lanka leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga named ICC Men's Player of the Month for June

Sri Lanka's record-breaking spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been awarded the ICC Men's Player of the Month for his exceptional performance in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier. Hasaranga's outstanding contributions led him to stand out among other players, as determined through a vote conducted by a panel of experts consisting of ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, media representatives, and registered global cricket fans at icc-cricket.com.

During the month, Hasaranga achieved remarkable feats, taking 26 wickets at an impressive average of 10.00. His notable achievements included claiming six wickets in the tournament opener against the United Arab Emirates, followed by five wickets for 13 runs against Oman and five wickets for 79 runs against Ireland. These outstanding performances made Hasaranga the first spinner in history to achieve three consecutive five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket, significantly contributing to Sri Lanka's qualification for the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup



in India, which commences on 5 October.

Hasaranga's match-winning displays played a pivotal role in keeping his team undefeated throughout the tournament, earning him a place in the Upstox Team of the Tournament. Delighted with the award, especially given Sri Lanka's qualification for the World Cup, Hasaranga expressed his gratitude and honor at being chosen as the ICC Men's Player of the Month. He also became the first Sri Lankan player to receive this award since Prabath Jayasuriya in July 2022. Noteworthy candidates for the award included Zimbabwe's Sean Williams, another standout performer in the Qualifier, and Australia's Travis Head, the Player of the Match in the ICC World Test Championship Final.

Australia's Ashleigh Gardner emerged as the ICC Women's Player of the Month, adding another accolade to her name. Gardner's exceptional performance at Trent Bridge, particularly with her off-spin bowling, played a pivotal role in Australia's comfortable 89-run victory in the Test match.