Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, has been named the ICC Player of the Month for the month of March 2022.
Azam was at his best throughout March, with his stunning 196 in the second Test against Australia in Karachi a clear highlight as he won the prized monthly award ahead of West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Australia skipper Pat Cummins.
He is the first player to win the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award twice, having won it in April 2021 and April 2022, according to the International Cricket Council.
Azam was the third-highest run-scorer in the recently concluded Benaud-Qadir Trophy, behind Usman Khawaja and Abdullah Shafique.
He scored 390 runs at an average of 78 in five innings, including two half-centuries and a century. His match-saving 196 in the second innings of the second Test in Karachi was the series’ high point.
In the ODI series, Azam maintained his excellent form, scoring crucial runs in the first two games. He scored 57 in Pakistan’s 88-run loss in the first ODI before hitting a stunning 118 in the second to lead Pakistan to a six-wicket victory.
Meanwhile, Rachael Haynes of Australia has been named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for March 2022.
To read our blog on “In All-Time ICC ODI rankings, Babar Azam has surpassed Tendulkar and Bevan,” click here.
