ICC Player of the Month: A rising Australia star, a veteran Zimbabwe opener and a dynamic Sri Lanka all-rounder are the nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after enjoying successful performances across June.
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Travis Head (Australia)
It was during the World Test Championship Final against India last month that Head shone as the attacking left-hander produced a match-winning century to lead his side to victory.
Head entered the crease with Australia precariously placed at 76/3, before producing a knock for the ages of 163 from just 174 deliveries to help put his team on their way to a first World Test Championship title.
If his World Test Championship heroics weren’t enough, Head then showed his class with an excellent half-century in the opening Test against England at Edgbaston as Australia made a winning start to the ongoing Ashes series.
Sean Williams (Zimbabwe)
The Zimbabwe veteran had a month to remember during June as he helped himself to three centuries at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament on home soil.
The right-hander started the event in a blaze with an unbeaten 102* against Nepal and then managed scores of 91 and 23 in matches that followed against the Netherlands and West Indies.
But it was after that that Williams really shone, with the 36-year-old reaching triple figures in consecutive matches as he hit a brilliant 174 against the USA and then 142 versus Oman.
It was a month to remember for Williams, who was a shining light for Zimbabwe even as they fell agonisingly short of earning a spot in the 50-over World Cup at the end of the year.
Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka)
The Sri Lanka star created history during June as he became just the second bowler behind Pakistan great Waqar Younis to claim three consecutive five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket.
Hasaranga completed the feat during the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe, where the right-armer has a total of 20 wickets to be the leading wicket-taker at the event.
The form of Hasaranga over the last month in Zimbabwe has helped earn Sri Lanka a place at the 50-over World Cup at the end of the year and the 25-year-old is likely to be a key player for the island nation at the 10-team tournament in India.
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