Shreyas Iyer nominated for ICC Men’s Player of the Month
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Dubai: India's middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer has been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award for March, following his standout performances in the Champions Trophy, where he played a pivotal role in securing India’s title win. He is joined by New Zealand stars Rachin Ravindra and Jacob Duffy on the nomination list.
Iyer amassed 243 runs in five matches at an average of 48.60, registering two crucial half-centuries that underpinned India’s unbeaten campaign in the eight-team tournament. The ICC highlighted that the right-hander scored 172 runs in three ODIs during March, averaging 57.33 with a strike rate of 77.47, making him India’s top-scorer in the competition.
His most notable contributions included a composed 79 against New Zealand in the Group A clash, a gritty 45 against Australia in the semi-final, and a match-winning 48 in the final against the Black Caps. According to the ICC, “His ability to anchor the innings and build partnerships was instrumental in guiding India in crunch moments throughout the campaign.”
However, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra topped the batting charts, scoring 263 runs in just four matches at a remarkable average of 65.75, which included two centuries. In March’s ODIs alone, he tallied 151 runs at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of 106.33, while also contributing with the ball, taking three wickets at an economy of 4.66.
Ravindra’s defining moment came in the semi-final against South Africa, where he smashed 108 runs, his second century of the tournament sharing a crucial 164-run stand with Kane Williamson to help New Zealand post the highest-ever total in Champions Trophy history. His consistent performances with both bat and ball proved vital to the Black Caps’ campaign.
Jacob Duffy, the world’s No. 1 T20I bowler, earned his nomination after leading New Zealand to a dominant 4-1 T20I series victory over Pakistan. He claimed 13 wickets across the five matches at an economy rate of 6.17 and a bowling average of 8.38.
Duffy’s standout performances included a career-best 4/14 in the series opener at Christchurch and another four-wicket haul of 4/20 in the fourth match at Mount Maunganui. His ability to trouble the Pakistan batters consistently throughout the series made him a standout performer for the Kiwis.
With PTI inputs