New Delhi, 14 April (H.S.):

Indian cricket team's opening batsman Sanju Samson and New Zealand's all-rounder Amelia Kerr have been selected as the ICC Players of the Month for March.

Both players received this honor for their exceptional performances.

Sanju Samson clinched the ICC Men's T20I Player of the Month award through his stellar showing in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, outshining teammate Jasprit Bumrah and South Africa's batsman Connor Esterhuizen.

Meanwhile, Amelia Kerr surpassed Australia's Beth Mooney and South Africa's Ayabonga Khaka to claim the women's category title.

Samson's World Cup Brilliance

Sanju Samson was also named Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performance in the T20 World Cup. He scored an unbeaten 97 runs in the crucial match against West Indies in Kolkata. Subsequently, he played innings of 89 runs against England in the semi-final in Mumbai and another 89 against New Zealand in the final in Ahmedabad.

Samson's magnificent batting not only secured the title for India but also made them the first team to defend the T20 World Cup and win it on home soil for the first time.

Sanju Samson stated, Winning the ICC Player of the Month award feels incredibly special. It comes during the most memorable phase of my cricketing career. Contributing to India's World Cup triumph is like a dream fulfilled.

Amelia Kerr's All-Round Exploits

New Zealand's all-rounder Amelia Kerr delivered superb performances with both bat and ball in March. She amassed 176 runs across four ODIs while claiming 18 wickets with her leg-spin.

New Zealand swept the ODI series against Zimbabwe 3-0, with Kerr named Player of the Series; her best figures were 7 wickets for 34 runs.

In T20Is, Kerr scored 276 runs and took 6 wickets. Her brilliance propelled New Zealand to a 4-1 series victory over South Africa, earning her Player of the Series honors.

Amelia Kerr remarked, This month has been exceptionally special for the White Ferns. Contributing to the country always feels rewarding, but the team's collective performance matters most to me.

The selection of both players was determined by votes from global fans registered on the ICC's official website, along with a panel of former international cricketers and media representatives.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar