Australian batter Travis Head, who smashed an explosive century to help Australia secure their sixth ICC Cricket World Cup title, has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for November 2023.
Head faced tough competition from teammate Glenn Maxwell and Indian seamer Mohammed Shami to claim the honor. Maxwell scored a magnificent double-century against Afghanistan during the World Cup, while Shami had a brilliant run with the ball during the same tournament, becoming the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets in just seven matches, as per the ICC. However, it was Head’s 220 ODI runs in November— including a half-century and a century—that proved the difference, with the left-hander winning his first Player of the Month award. The 29-year-old expressed his gratitude to his teammates for their support throughout the last year. “It has been an incredible 12 months for the team, and it has been a real privilege to be a part of it. The way we navigated a home summer, away trips to India, England, South Africa, and the World Cup has been a great credit to Pat (Cummins), the players, and the staff,” Head said, 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.”
Head continued, “It is a great honor to be recognized 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.”
The two best knocks during November came in the most critical stage of Australia’s Cricket World Cup campaign, earning Head the Player of the Match award in the semi-final and final of the 50-over showcase.
