Jemimah Rodrigues, one of the pillars of the Indian women team, has been nominated for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for August alongisde Australis’s Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath.
Rodrigues went all the way into the finals of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She ended the tournament fifth on the run-scorers list with 146 runs in five matches.
She was the top run-getter with 56 off 46 not out in India’s crucial clash against Barbados to help her side secure a semifinal spot. She stitched two crucial partnerships, first with Shafali Verma and then with Deepti Sharma to take India to 162/4.
In the semifinal against England, the youngster displayed her tactful finishing skills once again with an unbeaten 44 off 31. Her innings eventually proved to be the difference between the two sides as the hosts fell short by four runs and India booked their berth for the gold medal clash.
In the final against Australia, her run-a-ball 33 helped India recover from the early wickets but she fell at a crucial time and couldn’t finish the game off.
Mooney, the highest run-scorer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a Gold medal winner had a dream August 2022.
She kicked off the month with a brilliant 70* off 49 balls against Pakistan in Australia’s final Group A game. Like the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final in 2020, she was once again a thorn in India’s side in the Final of the Commonwealth Games. She was the highest scorer on the day as her 61 off 41 balls propelled Australia to 161.
McGrath is the second gold medallist from the Australian team that makes it to the Player of the Month shortlist for August 2022.
Her all-round brilliance was one of the key factors in Australia making history and bagging the gold medal in the first-ever women’s tournament in the event’s history. She finished the tournament as the joint second-highest wicket-taker with eight wickets in five matches.
