2 players from 2025 Champions Trophy final nominated for ICC Players of the Month for February
India's Shubman Gill and New Zealand's Glenn Phillips have been nominated for the men's ICC player of the month for February 2025. Both performed excellently well in February and have been nominated for the prestigious award.
Gill has made it to the list after scoring 406 runs in five outings at a staggering average of 101.50, comprising two tons and as many half-centuries. The 25-year-old impressed everyone with scores of 87, 60, and 112 against England as the Men in Blue completed a 3-0 whitewash heading into the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Shubman Gill then kicked off the Champions Trophy campaign with a century against Bangladesh, registering back-to-back ODI tons. The Punjab batter also played a valuable knock of 46 runs as India beat arch-rivals Pakistan by six wickets to qualify for the semifinal of the 50-over tournament.
The opening batter would now be keen to deliver with the bat in the 2025 Champions final against the Kiwis. Notably, he departed for just eight runs off 11 deliveries against Australia in the semifinal.
Glenn Phillips, on the other hand, amassed 236 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 124.21. He smashed 106 against Pakistan before contributing 28 against South Africa and 20 against the Men in Green in the final of the tri-series.
The 28-year-old then returned with scores of 61 and 21* against Pakistan and Bangladesh, respectively, in 2025 Champions Trophy group-stage games. He also took a stunning catch of Pakistan skipper Mohammad Rizwan at backward point and followed with another one to dismiss Virat Kohli.
Steve Smith also nominated for ICC player of the month for February 2025
Apart from Shubman Gill and Glenn Phillips, Australia skipper (now retired from ODIs) Steve Smith has also been shortlisted among the three nominated players for the men's ICC player of the month for February 2025.
The right-hander starred with the bat in the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka, returning with scores of 141 and 131 before being adjudged Player of the Series. The 35-year-old, however, didn't live up to expectations in the ODI series against the island nation, returning with scores of 12 and 29, respectively.
Smith also managed below par scores of five and unbeaten 19 against England and Afghanistan, respectively, in the 2025 Champions Trophy. He, however, played a valiant knock of 73 against India in the semifinal, but that came in March.
In the women's category, Alana King, Annabel Sutherland, and Thailand's Thipatcha Putthawong were shortlisted for the ICC player of the month for February.
King, a leg-spinner, played a key role in helping Australia beat England in the Ashes one-off Test, bagging nine wickets, returning with figures of 4/45 and 5/53.
On the other hand, Sutherland played a superb knock of 163 runs, a knock laced with 21 fours and a six to bag Player of the Match award in the same contest against England.
Meanwhile, Putthawong picked up 14 wickets in the Nepal Women's Tri-nation series at an economy rate of 3.47, including 4/10 against Nepal, making her a huge contender for the ICC's Player of the month for February. The 20-year-old also added 33 runs with the bat.