In the last month, the cricket world has seen some incredible performances in the cricket world. Depending on those exciting performances by both men and women players, the ICC revealed the nominees for the Player of the Month of April. West Indies women’s player Heyley Matthews and UAE men’s team captain Muhammad Waseem won the award.
Muhammad Waseem’s Exceptional Performance and Words on this win:
The prestigious award of the ICC Player of the Month is extremely special for Muhammad Waseem. Because he is the first UAE player to win this award. In the ACC Premier Cup tournament, he has performed brilliantly. The opening batter scored 269 runs in April, averaging 44.83. His highlight was a rapid century in just 56 balls against Oman in the final match. Waseem showcased an impressive strike rate of 182.99. He scored a quick 65 against Bahrain. His explosive performance against Oman led to a convincing 55-run win.
After winning the award for the first time, Muhammad Waseem expressed his excitement. He said, “It is a great honour to win the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award. I am thrilled to join a distinguished list of award winners from around the world. The award is a big motivation for players especially those from emerging cricket teams like the UAE. Last month, our goal in the ACC Premier Cup in Oman was to qualify for next year’s Asia Cup and I am proud of my team and their performance in the tournament.”
Later he added, “At a personal level I am happy that I led the team from the front, especially in the final. Scoring a century in a big game is indeed a special moment, especially when it helps the team to victory. I look forward to our preparations for the Asia Cup and my aim is to continue to deliver for the team with the bat and lead by example in these exciting times for UAE cricket.”
Hayley Matthews Won the Words and Expressed the Joy:
In April, fans enjoyed some thrilling cricket actions in women’s cricket. Among all, the West Indies women’s team grabbed the attention. They dominated the Pakistan women’s team in the limited over series. In that series, Hayley Matthews showcased her exceptional abilities. In the first game of the ODI series, skipper Matthews dominated with an unbeaten 140 runs and later secured three wickets for 17 runs.
She continued her stellar performance in the third match, scoring 141 runs and taking two wickets for 26 runs. Matthews shone again in the T20I series, scoring consecutive half-centuries and claiming six wickets, leading her team to a resounding 4-1 series victory.
After winning the match, she opened up. Matthews said, “I am really happy to win the award again. These performances resulted in the team’s success and that’s the most important thing for me as captain. To win in Pakistan was always a big goal. I wanted to perform well and contribute to the team’s success so to be able to have performances and get the results, that was really good and showed that the hard work and the concentration in Pakistan paid off.”
Then she added, “Being able to set some new records and achieve some new milestones as well was good for me so I’m extremely happy. We have confidence and we will take this with us going into the tour of Sri Lanka and look to secure more crucial points in the ICC Women’s Championship.”
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and Instagram
