Proteas’ Keshav Maharaj spins his way to major ICC award

Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj has been named as the ICC’s men’s Player of the Month for April after enjoying a prolific spell with the ball during their home Test series victory over Bangladesh last month.

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The left-arm slow-bowler took 16 wickets in the two-match Test series on home soil as the Proteas completed a series clean-sweep.

Maharaj’s wickets included two seven-wicket hauls in the second innings of both Tests at Kingsmead and St George’s Park.

Keshav Maharaj beat his team-mate to the award

Maharaj beat compatriot Simon Harmer – with whom he shared lengthy spells in tandem on the Proteas’ way to victory – and Oman international Jatinder Singh to the award.

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Speaking after being announced as the winner, Keshav Maharaj said: “I’m honoured and privileged to receive the ICC Player of the Month award for April and I want to thank my team-mates for helping me win this award.

“I’m really happy with how the team has performed this past season and I hope we can build on this to reach greater heights as a unit.”

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Meanwhile, Australia’s star of last month’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final, Alyssa Healy, was named ICC women’s Player of the Month for April.

Healy was selected the standout female player in April following her match-winning innings of 170 in the World Cup final in Christchurch, setting a record for the highest score ever made in any World Cup final in the process.

Tormenting England’s bowlers from the outset and scoring at a strike rate of 123.18, her blistering showcase at the crease steered Australia to a formidable total of 356/5, and with England falling short in reply, helped her side claim their seventh ODI crown.

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