World Cup final hero Shafali Verma crowned ICC Player of the Month; Harmer wins men's award

NEW DELHI: India opener Shafali Verma’s defining knock in the Women’s World Cup final against South Africa last month has been rewarded with the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for November, capping a remarkable turnaround in her tournament journey.

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Drafted in as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal in the semifinal against Australia, the 21-year-old seized her opportunity on the biggest stage. In the final at Navi Mumbai, Shafali produced a match-winning 87 off 78 balls — the highest score by an Indian opener in a Women’s World Cup final — to power India to a formidable 298 for 7 before the hosts sealed a 52-run victory and lifted their maiden World Cup trophy.




Shafali laid the foundation for the imposing total with a crucial 104-run opening partnership alongside Smriti Mandhana, setting the tone for India’s historic triumph in front of a home crowd. Her performance stood out in a pressure-packed final, blending controlled aggression with maturity beyond her years.

The Indian opener beat Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong and UAE’s Esha Oza to claim her first-ever ICC Player of the Month honour.

“My first ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup experience didn’t go as I expected, but it ended far better than I could have ever wished or imagined,” Shafali said in an ICC release. “I’m grateful that I could contribute to the team’s success in the final and be part of making history in winning the World Cup for the first time and in front of a home crowd.”


“I’m truly honoured to be named the Women’s Player of the Month for November. I dedicate this award to my teammates, coaches, family and everyone who has supported my journey until now. We win and lose as a team, the same goes for this award,” she added.

In the men’s category, South Africa spinner Simon Harmer claimed the ICC Player of the Month award following an outstanding Test series against India. Harmer edged out Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam and Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz after playing a central role in South Africa’s 2-0 series win — their first Test series victory in India in 25 years.

The 36-year-old finished the series with 17 wickets at an average of 8.94, underlining a month to remember for both individual brilliance and historic team success.


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