Smriti Mandhana gets nominated for ICC Player of the Month

New Delhi: Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award on back of a string of brilliant performances in the recently-concluded ODI women's World Cup 2025. The Indian top-order batter would be vying for the honour along with South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Australia batter Ashleigh Gardner.

Mandhana led the charge for the Indian team with her partnerships with opening batter Pratika Rawal creating a buzz in the showpiece event. The 29-year-old has a quiet start in the marquee event but bouced back to form with a blistering knock of 80 runs against seven-time champions Australia and followed it up a brilliant 88-run knock against England.

Though India lost both the matches but Mandhana made the highlight with her classic performances. In the must-win game against New Zealand, Mandhana stood up to the challenge smashing a brilliant 109 and creating a match-winning partnership of 212 runs with Rawal.

In the summit clash against South Africa, Mandhana gave a solid start to the team by scoring 45 runs and shared a critical partnership with opening batter Shafali Verma at the top. South African skipper Wolvaardt guided her team from the humiliation of a 10-wicket loss to England in the World Cup opener to the title showdown with India in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.

The Proteas skipper played a defining role with her 70-run knock against India in the league phase match before Nadine de Klerk's crafty batting took the game away from the hosts. The South Africa captain then smashed half-centuries against Sri Lanka and Pakistan. In the semifinal clash against England, Wolvaardt came up with an all-time great Cricket World Cup knock by smashing 169 as South Africa's 319 turned the tables on the-four-time champions.

In the final also against the Women in Blue, she went on to score 101 runs but her effort went in vain as India beat the visitors by 52 runs to clinch the title for the maiden time.