Atkinson And Athapaththu Named ICC Players Of The Month For Stellar July Performances

England's Gus Atkinson and Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu have been honoured as the ICC Players of the Month for July 2024.

Atkinson, who made his Test debut, was crucial in England's series triumph over West Indies. Concurrently, Athapaththu led the Sri Lanka women's team to a historic Women's Asia Cup win, defeating favourites India.

Atkinson's entry into Test cricket was extraordinary. He led England's bowling attack, securing 22 wickets at an average of 16.22 in their 3-0 series victory against West Indies.

"It is a real privilege to win the ICC Player of the Month! The start to my Test career has been unbelievable, and I never imagined achieving this level of success in my first series with England," Atkinson was quoted as saying by ICC.

He added, "I am incredibly grateful to my teammates and the fantastic environment created by Baz (Brendon McCullum) and Stokesy (Ben Stokes). It's an honour to play and represent my country."

Athapaththu played a key role in Sri Lanka’s Women's Asia Cup success. She amassed 304 runs at an average of 101.33 and a strike rate of 146.85 during the tournament. Her unbeaten 119 against Malaysia and two vital half-centuries were standout performances.

In the final against India, she scored 61 runs alongside Harshitha Samarawikrama to help Sri Lanka chase down 166 runs, securing their first Women's Asia Cup title. This victory marked a significant achievement for Sri Lankan women's cricket.

"I am happy and honoured to have been chosen as the ICC Women's Player of the Month for the third time. It is heartening to see such acknowledgement for my efforts," the Sri Lanka stalwart said.

"I believe these recognitions will send a positive message to thousands of girls who are already playing cricket in my country and also elsewhere," she added.