ICC Women’s Player of the Month for April 2024 announced

West Indies all-rounder Hayley Matthews has beaten off some stiff competition to be named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for April 2024.

Matthews was rewarded for her excellent form during white-ball fixtures against Pakistan, as the 26-year-old edged out South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt and Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu for the coveted monthly award.

It is the third time that Matthews has claimed the monthly ICC award, with the star all-rounder adding the success in April to previous wins in November 2021 and October 2023.

Ash Gardner (four times) is the only player to have won the women's monthly award on more occasions than Matthews and the West Indies skipper was thrilled to have done so once more and closed in on the Australia star.

"I’m really happy to win the award again. The performances resulted in the team’s success and that’s the most important thing for me as captain," Matthews said.

"To win in Pakistan … was always a big goal. I wanted to perform well and contribute to the team’s success so to be able to have performances and get the results that was really good and showed that the hard work and the concentration in Pakistan paid off.

"Being able to set some new records and achieve some new milestones as well was good for me so I’m extremely happy. We have confidence and we will take this with us going into the tour of Sri Lanka and look to secure more crucial points in the ICC Women's Championship."

During April, Matthews made three appearances in T20Is and as many in ODIs against Pakistan.

In that period, the ICC Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year for 2023, made 325 runs at an impressive average of 162.5 to go with her six wickets in the ICC Women’s Championship ODI series. In the T20I leg, she scored 126 runs at an average of 42 and claimed six wickets.

She also won four Player of the Match awards, two each in the ODI and T20I series, while also taking home the Player of the Series in ODIs.

In the ODI series opener, she made a scintillating 140* from 150 balls, consisting of 15 fours and a six. She then led the charge with the ball, returning 3/17 from her six overs as West Indies sealed a big 113-run victory over Pakistan.

In the second ODI, she took one wicket and contributed with 44 runs as the Windies cruised to a thrilling two-wicket win on the last ball. Matthews made a stronger in the final ODI with a solid knock of 141 from 149. Her batting brilliance in this game included 19 fours. She also made an impact with the ball with returns of 2/26 from eight overs.

In the T20Is that followed, she was dismissed for a rare duck in the opening fixture, however, she bowled an economic spell of 1/14 in her four overs. She made a brisk 58 in the second game and was also the star bowler of her side with returns of 3/25. In the final game, she made another half-century, making a 49-ball 68 and returning 2/22 with the ball.