Keegan Petersen and Heather Knight were named ICC Player of the Month for January.

Heather Knight and Keegan Petersen were named winners of the ICC Players of the Month Award for January 2022 by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday.

Petersen won the ICC men’s player of the month title for January, beating out compatriot Dewald Brevis and Bangladesh fast bowler Ebadot Hossain. Knight took home the prize for ladies. Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka and Deandra Dottin of the West Indies were the other competitors.

Petersen was instrumental in South Africa’s 2-1 series victory over India. In the second Test, he hit 62 in the first innings to assist the Proteas to establish a slim lead, and he then played a critical 28-run knock in their pursuit of 240. Petersen hit fifty in each innings of the last Test, including an outstanding 82 in a difficult fourth-innings chase of 212. With 276 runs, he finished the series as the series’ leading run-scorer and was awarded player of the series. “With the buzz of the series and the great expectations, the poise he displayed while batting in a critical No. 3 position was just astonishing,” said JP Duminy, a member of the voting panel and former South African star.

Knight led England to a drew in the one-off Ashes Test against Australia in Canberra, where he scored the most runs. Knight saved England in the first innings, striking an unbeaten 168. In the history of women’s Test cricket, it was the second-highest score by a skipper.

Former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan, a member of the voting panel, said: “168 is the greatest Test score by any female English hitter against Australia in Australia.” “It’s also Australia’s second-highest score in women’s Tests.” Her century is more remarkable for its significance in clinching England’s only Test draw.”