Dubai: Indian opening batsman Sanju Samson has been selected as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for March, following his impressive contributions to India’s victory in the T20 World Cup. Although he did not feature in the tournament’s initial matches, Samson excelled in key later games, aiding India’s title retention. This recognition continues a pattern where athletes from various nations have claimed the award in recent months, including South Africa’s Simon Harmer, Australia’s Mitchell Starc, New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell, and Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan. Samson commented that receiving the award feels remarkable, particularly amid his memorable experiences in the T20 World Cup. He expressed appreciation for the chances provided and the backing from his teammates and coaches. Initially sidelined, Samson entered the lineup for vital Super 8 encounters. He began with 24 runs against Zimbabwe before gaining momentum. Against the West Indies, he scored an unbeaten 97, narrowly missing a century, which secured India’s semifinal berth. His 89 runs against England in Mumbai propelled India to 253 for 7, leading to a narrow seven-run victory for the hosts on March 5. Another 89 runs came in the title-deciding match in Ahmedabad, resulting in a 96-run win for India. Across three important T20 internationals in March, Samson accumulated 275 runs with an average of 137.50 and a strike rate of 199.27. This marks his inaugural ICC Men’s Player of the Month accolade. In the women’s category, New Zealand captain Melie Kerr earned the honor for the third time after strong showings against Zimbabwe and South Africa. Assuming leadership of the white-ball squads from Sophie Devine, Kerr delivered exceptional performances with bat and ball. She claimed 16 wickets in three ODIs against Zimbabwe, highlighted by her best-ever 7/34. She also ranked as the third-leading run-scorer in those ODIs, tallying 140 runs at an average of 46.67.
