Angelo Mathews, a veteran Sri Lanka cricketer, has been named the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022. To win the prize, the 35-year-old beat out fellow countryman Asitha Fernando and Bangladeshi star Mushfiqur Rahim.
Mathews was outstanding in the two-match series against Bangladesh away from home, scoring 344 runs, including two hundreds. He came close to a double ton in the first Test in Chattogram, scoring 199.
He hit a superb 145 in the first innings of Sri Lanka’s 10-wicket win over the hosts in the second match in Mirpur. With a point percentage of 55.56, the Islanders moved up to No. 4 in the ICC World Test Championship table.
His outstanding performances throughout the series propelled him to No. 15 in the ICC Test Batters Rankings, and now he has been named the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022.
He is also the first Sri Lankan player to win the Player of the Month award since the honor’s introduction in January 2021.
“I am absolutely honoured and delighted to be the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022. I would like to congratulate Asitha Fernando and Mushfiqur Rahim who were front runners for this award, on their spectacular performances.
“I am grateful for the opportunity and I wish to thank the almighty, my teammates, support staff, and fans for believing in me and supporting me as always. I would like to dedicate this to the people of Sri Lanka. Let’s never stop believing.”
Angelo Matthew on being named Player of the Month
On the other hand, Tuba Hassan, a teenage leg-spinner from Pakistan, was named the ICC Player of the Month for May 2022 on Monday after having a successful first T20I series against Sri Lanka in Karachi.
The 21-year-old was vital in limiting opponents Sri Lanka’s totals and was named Player of the Series after taking five wickets at an average of 8.8 and a 3.66 economy rate.
Tuba’s highlight of the month came in her debut international encounter, when she took 3/8 to restrict Sri Lanka to 106, laying the groundwork for a six-wicket victory and earning ‘Player of the Match’ honours. She dismissed Anushka Sanjeewani with her first ball in international cricket, and then went on to remove Harshitha Madavi and Kavisha Dilhari.
“Tuba has demonstrated a high level of confidence and competence in her first series for Pakistan. She has been training hard for a long time, and seeing her celebrate success in her debut series for Pakistan is truly inspiring “Sana Mir, a former Pakistan captain and voting panel member, agreed.
Tuba, who was a reserve player at this year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, will travel with the Pakistani team to a T20I tri-series with hosts Ireland and World Cup champions Australia before competing in the Commonwealth Games Women’s T20 Cricket tournament in Birmingham.
1xcricket congratulates both Angelo Mathews and Tuba Hassan on being named the ICC player of the month for May 2022.