Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus Vie for ICC Women's Player of the Month

Verma was at her explosive best in the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in December 2025, providing India with blazing starts and setting the aggressive tone for India as the hosts cruised to a dominant 5-0 series sweep, as per the ICC website.

After a relatively quiet start in the opening T20I, Verma truly found her rhythm from the second match onwards. A fiery unbeaten 69 in the second T20I powered India to a comfortable chase of a modest 129-run target. She carried that momentum into the third T20I, smashing another unbeaten knock of 79 as India wrapped up the chase inside 14 overs.

The fourth T20I saw Shafali at her destructive best. Teaming up with Smriti Mandhana, she was part of a record-breaking partnership, India's highest in women's T20Is for any wicket. Verma's blistering 79 off just 46 balls helped India post their highest-ever T20I total of 221.

Across the five matches, Verma amassed 241 runs, striking the ball at a stunning rate of 181.20 and averaging an outstanding 80.33. Her consistent match-winning contributions rightly earned her the Player of the Series award, capping off a brilliant month for the opener.

After a dominant ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, Wolvaardt continued to underline her class in December, capping off a remarkable year by smashing three centuries across formats.

The South African skipper was in sublime touch, as South Africa beat Ireland 3-0 and 2-0 in ODIs and T20Is, respectively. Wolvaardt was at her explosive best in the opening T20I, where she blazed her way to an unbeaten 115. Her knock, including 15 fours and four sixes, came at a blistering strike rate of 205.35.

Her prowess carried seamlessly into the ODI leg of the tour, where she set the tone for the Proteas by opening the batting. After a 31 in the first ODI, Wolvaardt produced back-to-back centuries, beginning with a fluent 124 off 111 balls. She showed no signs of easing off in the third ODI, remaining unbeaten on 100 to comfortably steer South Africa to a clean 3-0 series sweep.

Across the ODI series, Wolvaardt amassed 255 runs from three matches at a staggering average of 127.5, striking at an impressive 111.84. In the two T20Is, she piled on 137 runs at a rapid strike rate of 190.27, only dismissed once.

The South African all-rounder was in fine form with both bat and ball, playing a pivotal role in the Proteas completing series whitewashes in both the ODI and T20I series against Ireland.

In the first T20I, she delivered a superb all-round performance, smashing 81 runs while opening the batting before backing it up with a four-wicket haul. She continued her strong showing in the second T20I, contributing a crucial 37 as South Africa posted an imposing total of 201.

Sune Luus was even more influential in the ODI leg of the tour, shining with both bat and ball. She top-scored with an unbeaten 66 in the chase in the first ODI and also picked up a wicket. In the second ODI, Luus followed it up with her second career ODI century, scoring a commanding 114 off 113 balls, while also claiming one wicket.

Across the two ODIs, Luus amassed 205 runs at an exceptional average of 102.5 and a strike rate of 98.55, while also taking four wickets at an economy rate of 4.97. In the T20I series, she added 118 runs at a strike rate of 157.33 and picked up four wickets at an economy of 6.42, shining as an all-rounder across December.

- ANI