The International Cricket Council (ICC) has honored two standout performers for June 2025, with West Indies captain Hayley Matthews winning the Women’s Player of the Month and South Africa’s Aiden Markram claiming the Men’s award.
South African opener Aiden Markram was named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June 2025, primarily for his exceptional performance in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia at Lord’s.
Markram scored a crucial 136 runs in the second innings, anchoring South Africa’s successful chase of 282 runs to secure their first ICC title since 1998.
Markram’s all round brilliance included breaking a dangerous partnership by dismissing Steve Smith early and anchoring a tense chase with key stands alongside Wiaan Mulder and an injured Temba Bavuma.
Speaking on the achievement, he said, “It is a privilege to receive this award. To contribute to a World Test Championship win for our team and South Africa is something that means a lot to me. Winning the final at Lord’s is a historic moment for South African cricket.”
He beat two strong contenders , teammate Kagiso Rabada (who took 9 wickets in the final) and Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka (who scored centuries in both Tests against Bangladesh). This win highlights how important Markram’s performance was in helping South Africa finally claim an ICC trophy after 27 years.
Women’s Player of the Month
On Women’s side , the ICC Player of the Month for June 2025 is Hayley Matthews, the West Indies captain, who claimed the award for the fourth time in her career, tying Australia’s Ash Gardner for the most wins in the category.
She earned this honor after leading West Indies to a 2-1 T20 series win over South Africa. Matthews dominated with the score of 147 runs at an impressive average of 73.50, while maintaining a fast strike rate of 120.49. She also chipped in with two key wickets using her off spin bowling.
Despite a shoulder injury affecting her ODI performances, Matthews still managed scores of 40 and 56, along with four wickets, proving her resilience.
Reflecting on the award, she said “It’s an honour to receive the Player of the Month award again. I’ve been pleased with my form recently, but more importantly, it’s been great to contribute to the team’s success, especially in a hard fought T20I series against South Africa. Recognition like this is appreciated, but my focus remains on what’s ahead.”
Matthews, who debuted internationally at 16, has been a pillar of West Indies cricket, playing pivotal roles in their 2016 T20 World Cup win and captaining the side in major tournaments. Her ability to excel despite managing type 1 diabetes since age 12 adds to her inspirational legacy.
These awards highlight the remarkable achievements of Aiden Markram and Hayley Matthews, celebrating their crucial roles in recent international cricket successes and their ongoing contributions to their teams.