A trio of players have been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award: Shubman Gill, Steve Smith, and Glenn Phillips

Shubman Gill, Steve Smith, and Glenn Phillips have been shortlisted for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for February 2025, following their exceptional performances across various formats. Gill, India’s top-order batsman, has been in sublime form in the 50-over game, playing a crucial role in guiding Rohit Sharma’s squad to the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy final. His standout performances in the ODI series against England included knocks of 87 and 60, culminating in a brilliant 112 in Ahmedabad. Continuing his dominance in the Champions Trophy, Gill opened the tournament with a match-winning 101 not out against Bangladesh, successfully chasing a target of 229 under the Dubai lights. Currently holding the title of the world’s top-ranked ODI batsman, he remains a key figure in India’s batting lineup.

Meanwhile, Australian batsman Steve Smith, who recently announced his retirement from ODIs, made a significant impact as the stand-in captain in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. Demonstrating his mastery in red-ball cricket, he scored a commanding 141 in the first Test and followed it with a solid 131 in the first innings of the second, steering Australia to a comfortable nine-wicket victory. His outstanding run in the series not only earned him the Player of the Series award but also propelled him back into the top five Test batsmen in the ICC rankings.

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips made his presence felt ahead of the Champions Trophy, delivering crucial performances in the Tri-Nation series featuring Pakistan and South Africa. He played a vital role with the bat, producing unbeaten scores of 28 and 20 before showcasing his prowess with a stunning 106-run knock in Lahore. Phillips carried his form into the Champions Trophy, starting his campaign with a quickfire 61 off 39 balls against Pakistan. Adding to his impactful performance, he stunned the cricketing world with an acrobatic catch that dismissed Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan, showcasing his brilliance in the field.

On the women’s side, Australia’s Alana King and Annabel Sutherland, along with Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong, have been nominated for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for February. King displayed remarkable skill in the Women’s Ashes, delivering a match-winning performance in the solitary Test against England. She played a crucial role in dismantling the opposition’s middle order, claiming four wickets in the first innings and five in the second. Sutherland also left her mark in the same Test, crafting a spectacular innings of 163 runs, becoming the first woman to register a Test century at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Meanwhile, Putthawong led the bowling charts in the Nepal Women’s Tri-Nation Series, finishing as the highest wicket-taker with 14 dismissals, including an impressive streak of four consecutive matches where she claimed three or more wickets.