Shafali Verma named Player of the Month for her Women's World Cup final exploits

I share this award with my teammates, coaches and support staff and dedicate it to my family who allow me to go out and live my dream, often having to leave them at home to do so, said Harmer.

India opener Shafali Verma's match-winning performance with the bat in the Women's World Cup final against South Africa last month has earned her the ICC 'Player of the Month' award for November.

Shafali, who came in as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal in the semifinal against Australia, smashed a 78-ball 87 -- the highest by an Indian opener in a Women's World Cup final -- as the hosts amassed a mammoth 298 for 7 and then secured a 52-run win to lift their maiden World Cup trophy in Navi Mumbai.

Shafali shared a 104-run stand with fellow opener Smriti Mandhana to set the platform for the big total.

The 21-year-old beat Thailand's Thipatcha Putthawong and UAE's Esha Oza for her first-ever 'Player of the Month' award. ''My first ICC Women's Cricket World Cup experience didn't go as I expected but it ended far better than I could have ever wished or imagined,'' said Shafali in an ICC release.

''I'm grateful that I could contribute to the team's success in the final and that I was able to be a part of making history in winning the World Cup for the first time and in front of a home crowd.

''I'm truly honoured to be named the Women's Player of the Month for November. I dedicate this award to my teammates, coaches, family and everyone who has supported my journey until now. We win and lose as a team, the same goes for this award,'' added Shafali.

South Africa spinner Simon Harmer won the men's award for his inspired bowling in the Test series against India, which the Proteas won 2-0.

Harmer beat Bangladesh's Taijul Islam and Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz to take the POTM award for the first time.

The 36-year-old returned with a combined haul of 17 wickets from the series as South Africa clinched their maiden Test rubber win in India in 25 years.

He returned with figures of four for 30 and four for 21 in the series opener in Kolkata, followed by three for 64 and six for 37 in the second match in Guwahati, ending the series with his 17-wicket haul at an average of 8.94 and an economy of 1.91.

''Playing for my country is a dream come true and anything else that comes from it as a result is a bonus. I share this award with my teammates, coaches and support staff and dedicate it to my family who allow me to go out and live my dream, often having to leave them at home to do so,'' said Harmer.

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