12 August 2024 02:07 pm Views - 1495
Sri Lanka’s talismanic skipper Chamari Athapaththu beat a hot field by overcoming India’s star openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for July 2024.
July was prolific for the southpaw, who secured new landmarks. Athapaththu led Sri Lanka to a maiden Women’s Asia Cup 2024 title over seven-time champions India during the month.
This is the third ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for the 34-year-old, making her the joint second-most successful cricketer in the Women’s Player of the Month arena, tied at three awards with West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, sitting behind Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner (four wins).
"I am happy and honored to have been chosen as the ICC Women's Player of the Month' for the third time and it is heartening to see such reckoning for the efforts of mine, achieved with the support of my teammates and coaches, being continuously recognised by the cricketing world," she said.
"I believe these recognitions will send a positive message to thousands of girls who are already playing cricket in my country and also elsewhere and want to play for their country; that commitment and dedication for the game will one day pay off."
This triumph was yet another feat under Athapaththu’s command in recent times. Over the last 12 months, Sri Lanka have set several milestones under her leadership including first-ever T20I series wins against England and South Africa.
Sri Lanka also featured in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024 in April-May of 2024 in Abu Dhabi and won all their games to qualify for the global mega event in October.
But July was all about Athapaththu’s contribution to the historic Women’s Asia Cup triumph.
She starred with the willow in their undefeated run in the tournament. After making just 12 in Sri Lanka’s first game against Bangladesh, Athapaththu responded in style, hitting a career-best 119* against Malaysia.
An unbeaten 49* against Thailand in the final group game was followed by back-to-back and match-winning fifties against Pakistan (63) and India (61) in the tournament semi-final and final.
Her 304 runs at a healthy strike rate of 146.85 would’ve been enough to secure a Player of the Tournament award, but the skipper also struck three times with the ball, including in the final against India.