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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the list of nominees who will be in contention for the Player of the Month award for July 2024. The previous month witnessed a lot of cricketing action after the world recovered from a historic ICC 2024 T20 World Cup in June.
Some of the most prominent series that were on show were England's home series against the West Indies, which kick-started their summer, while India's second-string squad toured Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series. Apart from these, the associate nations were also involved in bilateral affairs.
The three nominees revealed by the ICC are youngsters who made a strong impression on their side in July. The players in contention for the award are England's Gus Atkinson, India's Washington Sundar, and Scotland's Charlie Cassell.
Atkinson made his debut at Lord's during James Anderson's farewell and picked up 12 wickets on his debut to pick up the Player of the Match award. He played the remainder of the series as well, picking up 10 more wickets to begin England's Ashes ambitions with a 3-0 whitewash over the West Indies. He also ended up with the Player of the Series award and looks to be part of England's seam attack from now on along with Mark Wood and Chris Woakes.
Washington Sundar's international career has been a rather start-stop journey so far with form and injury playing an equal role behind the stagnancy. Ravindra Jadeja's retirement from T20I cricket gives Sundar a chance to cement his place in the playing XI, and he has made the most of the first chance given to him.
Sundar was adjudged Player of the Series after emerging as the leading wicket-taker with eight scalps. His heroics extended into the tour of Sri Lanka as well, where he bowled a brilliant spell in the third T20I, conceding only 23 runs and accounting for two wickets as well.
On top of that, he also bowled the decisive Super Over, picking up both wickets to give India a meager target to chase down.
Final nominee for ICC Player of the Month Charlie Cassell had a historic debut
Scotland pacer Charlie Cassell scripted history in his maiden ODI appearance itself by claiming figures of 7-21 against Oman in Dundee. He now holds the record for the best bowling figures on debut, breaking Kagiso Rabada's record in the process.
He ended up wicketless in the next contest and is now representing Somerset in the England Domestic One-Day Cup.
