Justin Greaves named ICC Player of the Month (July 2026)
What's the story
West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves has been named the ICC Men's Player of the Month for July 2026. His stellar performances with both bat and ball during this period earned him the honor. "I have had a memorable month playing at home, and to have contributed with both bat and ball against Sri Lanka and Pakistan has been particularly special for me," Greaves said of the performances that had won him the honor.
Test contributions
Greaves cherishes impactful Test performances
Greaves stressed on the importance of his performances in Test cricket, especially in front of home fans.
He said, "Having impactful performances in Test cricket is always something I will cherish, especially when they come in front of our home fans."
The all-rounder played a key role for West Indies in important ICC World Test Championship matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Batting brilliance
A match-saving ton versus Sri Lanka
In the second Test against Sri Lanka, Greaves scored a brilliant 180 runs after West Indies were reduced to 144/4.
His innings included 14 fours and 2 sixes, helping the hosts draw the match and win the series 1-0 at home.
The all-rounder's performance also earned his team crucial WTC points in their quest for a place in the final.
All-round display
All-round show against Pakistan
Greaves also played two ODIs against New Zealand, scoring 32 runs at a strike-rate of 114.28 while opening the innings.
He then showed his all-round prowess in the 1st Test against Pakistan in Tarouba.
Greaves ran through the talented Pakistani batting lineup, picking up his maiden five-wicket haul and bowling five consecutive wicket maidens during this spell.
Match-winning display
Historic fifer at home
Greaves's brilliant bowling spell reduced Pakistan from 244/4 to 267/9, giving West Indies a crucial first-innings lead.
He returned in the second innings to pick up two wickets in his first two overs, taking his tally to seven wickets in seven consecutive overs in the Test.
West Indies bowled out Pakistan for 120, winning by a massive margin of 90 runs.
Greaves was named Player of the Match in both these Tests.
Award
About the monthly award
Every month, the ICC acknowledges standout performances by nominating three players each in men's and women's categories.
Eventually, one of them is picked as the winner for that particular month. The cricket board has been handing out these monthly awards since the start of 2021.
Renowned journalists and former cricketers form the voting panel. Meanwhile, the public has 10% voting rights.