Travis Head of Australia performs a shot. File.
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Australian batter Travis Head, who smashed an explosive century to assist Australia win their sixth ICC Cricket World Cup title, has been named because the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for November 2023.
Head beat robust competitors from teammate Glenn Maxwell and India seamer Mohammed Shami to assert the honour.
Maxwell scored an impressive double-century towards Afghanistan in the course of the World Cup, whereas Shami had a superb run with the ball throughout the identical match, changing into the main wicket-taker with 24 wickets in simply seven matches, as per the ICC.
But it was Head’s 220 ODI runs in November–including a half-century and a century – that proved the distinction, with the left-hander profitable his first Player of the Month award.
The 29-year-old paid tribute to his teammates for their assist in his journey during the last 12 months.
“It has been an incredible 12 months for the team which it has been a real privilege to be a part of. The way we have navigated a home summer, away trips to India, England, South Africa, India and the World Cup has been a great credit to Pat (Cummins), the players and the staff,” Head stated as quoted by ICC.
“I was fortunate that they kept faith in me for the World Cup after breaking my hand, so it was a great opportunity for me to pay them back. I felt the World Cup was amongst the best I have ever batted, so maybe having a rest before every campaign is the key.”
“It is a great honour to be recognised with this award, but it is a team effort. Without my teammates across all formats, this would not have happened; so these types of awards are as much for them as they are for me,” he added.
These two finest knocks throughout November got here in probably the most vital stage of Australia’s Cricket World Cup marketing campaign.
These innings gained the Head, Player of the Match award within the semi-final and remaining of the 50-over showcase.
In the semi-final, he made an affect with the ball initially, derailing the South Africa innings rebuild, claiming the vital wickets of Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen. This helped prohibit the Proteas to a modest complete, which was overhauled in a tense chase. Head led Australia’s effort, smashing an aggressive 62 from 48.
In the ultimate towards India, he modified the course of the sport with a surprising catch, which despatched again the damaging Rohit Sharma.
Then he smashed a superb 137 from 120 balls to assist Australia win the sport by six wickets as they chased a modest Indian complete of 240. Australia’s innings was within the doldrums at one stage, having been lowered to 47/3. However, Head stored his cool and picked tempo after seeing off a troublesome new ball interval. His particular knock was studded with 15 fours and 4 sixes.
Head is barely the second Australia Men’s participant to take the award after David Warner, who gained it in November 2021.
Head has proven a sensational kind of late. He was additionally instrumental in Australia profitable the ICC Men’s World Test Championship remaining earlier this 12 months with a superb 163 within the first innings towards India. He claimed the Player of the Match award within the recreation, which his aspect gained by 209 runs.
This 12 months in 29 matches throughout all codecs, Head has scored 1,627 runs in 38 innings at a mean of 46.48 and a strike fee of above 98, with three centuries and 9 fifties. His finest rating is 163.
