Shamar Joseph crowned as ICC Men's Player Of The Month for January 2024

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced West Indian young sensation Shamar Joseph as the winner of the Men’s Player of the Month for January. Shamar Joseph beat the contenders, Josh Hazlewood and Ollie Pope, to secure the prestigious award.

Joseph made his international debut for the West Indies during the first Test of the series. He showcased his talent and made a significant impact despite having limited experience in first-class cricket. He troubled Australian batters throughout the series with his sheer pace.

Shamar Joseph Guides West Indies To First Test Victory In Australia In 27 Years

In the opening Test match at Adelaide, the young cricketer contributed a crucial 36 runs, batting at No. 11 during the West Indies’ first innings. Furthermore, Joseph impressed with his bowling performance, securing his maiden five-wicket haul during the series opener.

The 24-year-old fast bowler’s most memorable red-ball performance came during the second match in Brisbane. He managed to take just one wicket in Australia’s first innings. To make matters worse, he suffered a toe injury from a Mitchell Starc delivery while batting.

Joseph overcame pain to deliver a remarkable bowling performance, claiming figures of 7/68 in the final innings. He guided the team to a thrilling eight-run victory, leveling the series at 1-1. Notably, it was the West Indies’ first Test victory in Australia in 27 years.

He secured an impressive tally of 13 wickets across both Test matches at an impressive average of 17.30. Additionally, he contributed with the bat, scoring 57 runs at a respectable average of 28.50. Joseph was named Player of the Series for his valuable contributions.

Tears Are Coming In My Eyes – Shamar Joseph

Speaking after the match, Shamar Joseph revealed that he cried after achieving a five-wicket haul. He emphasized the significance of the Test victory for the West Indies. He also expressed his commitment to bowl until the last wicket fell, despite a toe injury.

“Tears are coming in my eyes but I already cried when I took the five-wicket haul. Just happy that we won the Test, when we last beat Australia I can’t remember but today is a big day for us, I just want us to enjoy, celebrate, and be happy.”

“It’s tough but I’m not that tired, because I wanted to do this for my team. I told to my skipper that I would bowl till the end until the last wicket falls. It doesn’t matter how my toe is, I’m okay, I did it for him and I’m happy that he is proud of me now,” Joseph said.

Shamar Joseph’s remarkable bowling display in Australia led to him securing his maiden IPL contract. The Lucknow Super Giants signed him for Rs 3 crore as a replacement for English pacer Mark Wood. He played only two T20 matches, with no wickets to his name.

LSG has showcased strong performances in their first two seasons, making it to the playoffs both times. However, they fell short of reaching the finals, as they suffered losses against the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Mumbai Indians in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Also read: “It was expected that…” – Aakash Chopra explains why LSG replaced Mark Wood with Shamar Joseph for IPL 2024