Dubai, Feb 11 (UNI) The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday revealed the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for January 2025 as the West Indies’ Jomel Warrican and Australia’s Beth Mooney.
Left-arm spinner Warrican inspired the islanders to their first Test win in Pakistan since 1990, while Mooney was at her scintillating best as Australia convincingly brushed aside England in the Ashes.
Both players were crowned following a vote conducted among global fans registered at icc-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players,
and media representatives.
Warrican wins his maiden ICC Men’s Player of the Month award from two other standout spinners from January’s contests, Pakistan’s Noman Ali and India’s Varun Chakravarthy. The 32-year-old’s exceptional month saw him take 19 wickets in two Test matches at an average of just 9.00.
Despite Pakistan winning the opening encounter, ten wickets fell to the left-armer in spin-friendly conditions in Multan. Figures of three for 69 in the first innings preceded a career-best spell of seven for 32 in the second, where, with the addition of two runouts, Warrican played a part in all but one of Pakistan’s wickets to fall.
His brilliance continued in the second Test, not only with the ball but also with bat in hand. Arriving at the crease with scores at 95 for nine in the first innings, Warrican (36 not out) and Kemar Roach foiled the Pakistan onslaught and propelled the tourists to a respectable 163 all out.
Contributions of four for 43 and five for 27 came either side of 18 more valuable runs in the second innings, and the spinner’s all-round heroics heralded an historic 120-run victory alongside a richly deserved Player of the Series accolade.
Warrican becomes the first West Indian to win the award since fellow spinner Gudakesh Motie back in May 2024.
ICC Men’s Player of the Month for January, Warrican, said, “It’s an honour to win this award. One of my goals for this year was my first five-for in Test cricket, but I did not think that it would be this grand."
“I see this as one small step in my cricketing career, and I look forward to many more. I promised my captain something special in this series, especially when my father, my biggest supporter, predicted a phenomenal performance for me," he said.
“Multan has a special place in my heart: not only because of the historic win for the West Indies, beating Pakistan away from home, but also by earning this prestigious award,” Warrican added
As Australia stormed to Ashes victory over England, ICC Women’s Player of the Month, Beth
Mooney exhibited trademark firepower in statement performances across ODI and T20I
encounters.
A subdued start to the series was overturned when the opener dug deep with a battling half-century in the third ODI in Hobart. Stuttering to 59 for four, Mooney resisted a resurgent England with 50 from 64 balls, setting the platform for the home side to post 308 from their 50 overs and secure the ODI sweep.
In the T20I contests that followed, Mooney consolidated her position as the top-ranked batter, striking 213 runs at a blistering strike rate of 146.89.
Scores of 75 and 44 came before a stunning unbeaten 94 in 63 balls in Adelaide – her highest score in over five years in the format to drive home Australia’s dominance against their fierce rivals.
Mooney overcomes the West Indies’ Karishma Ramharack and U19 Women’s T20 World Cup winner Gongadi Trisha to seal the win, and ensures a second successive win for an Australian player after Annabel Sutherland was honoured in December.
ICC Women’s Player of the Month for January, Beth Mooney said, “It’s an honour to be named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month and I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me."
“January was an incredible month for the Australian Women’s Cricket Team. Winning the Ashes in front of a home crowd was very special and to complete the series playing in the first ever day-night Test at the MCG in front of a record crowd for a Women’s Test is a moment that we will all never forget,” Mooney said.
“This team continues to achieve amazing results, and I am so proud to be a part of it,” she added.
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