SL vs NZ: Dunith Wellalage, Harshitha Madavi win ICC Player of the Month awards for August

Sri Lanka National Cricket Team all-rounder Dunith Wellalage has been awarded the ICC Player of the Month for August. The young cricketer pipped South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj and West Indies’ Jayden Seales to secure the award.

Dunith Wellalage achieved the award for his all-round show in the ODI series against the India National Cricket Team. His effort with both bat and ball was one of the major reasons behind the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team winning the ODI series against the Rohit Sharma-led side for the first time since 1997.

Dunith Wellalage troubled the Indian batters with his sensational bowling skills as he spun a web around the batters. Not only this, he played vital knocks for his team with the bat down the order, which helped them put the winning total on the board in the three-match ODI series between the teams.

Dunith Wellalage played a magnificent innings of career-best 67* and, with the ball, picked the wicket of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in the first ODI that helped Sri Lanka draw the game. In the second game, he came up with another sensational effort.

Wellalage played a handy knock of 39 in the second ODI that helped Sri Lanka to a winning total. Although he failed to get going with the bat in the bat in the third game, he ensured that he came up with a superlative effort with the ball and helped his team win.

The all-rounder achieved the career-best figures of 5/27. He went on to remove Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer in his spell. Overall, in the entire series, he slammed 108 runs and picked seven wickets that helped the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team register a famous win.

This recognition gives me further strength to continue doing the good work - Dunith Wellalage

Dunith Wellalage talked about winning the ICC Player of the Month award, saying that winning the trophy gives him the strength to continue doing the good work. He mentioned that getting recognized by ICC will also encourage other young players as well. He mentioned:

"This recognition gives me further strength to continue doing the good work I do as a player and contribute to my team to reach excellence in the field. I wish to thank my teammates, parents, friends, and relatives, as I am sure my achievement will provide them great satisfaction, as they have been supporting me throughout.

"Recognition such as this, coming from the International Cricket Council, is great news for young players like us and will certainly encourage young players in the game."

In terms of the ICC Women's Player of the Month, Sri Lanka's Harshitha Madavi surpassed the Irish duo of Orla Prendergast and Gaby Lewis to win the award. She achieved the award after he performances with the bat in the ODI and T20I series against Ireland.

She registered scores of 86*, and 65 from the two T20I matches and ended the series as the leading run-getter. In the ODIs, she poured in scores of 19, 105, and 48* to again finish as the leading run-scorer. She also became the third player from Sri Lanka to slam a ton in ODI.

On winning the award, he said she said it's a new high in his career and it is a huge confidence booster for her ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. She elaborated:

"I am extremely happy with this recognition, which I consider a new high in my career. It certainly gives me a lot of confidence ahead of the big competition, the Women's T20 World Cup," she said.