The 'dream' continues, Shamar Joseph wins ICC Player of the Month award

WEST INDIES fast bowler Shamar Joseph's "dream" start to international cricket continues, as he was announced as the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Player of the Month for January 2024 on February 13.

Per an ICC release, the 24-year-old Guyanese quick saw off competition from England batsman Ollie Pope and Aussie seamer Josh Hazlewood to claim the prize.

In the first Test of their five-match Test series away to India last month, Pope cracked a massive 196 in England's second innings to help his team to a 28-run victory in Hyderabad. Pope made 23 runs in either innings in the second Test as India rebounded with a big 106-run win.

Hazlewood, the number-five ranked bowler in Test cricket, picked up 19 wickets in three Tests last month. He also claimed career-best match figures of nine for 79 versus the West Indies in the first Test of their two-match series at the Adelaide Oval as Australia strolled to an emphatic ten-wicket win after reducing the Caribbean team to scores of 188 and 120 in the game. Hazlewood also grabbed his 250th Test wicket in Australia's win in the first Test.

Joseph grabbed the attention of the cricket world with his very first ball in international cricket when he got the prized wicket of legendary Australian batsman Steve Smith in the Adelaide Test. Joseph vowed to take a picture of the dismissal and stick it up in his house.

Joseph, who made his First Class debut for Guyana Harpy Eagles in February 2023, had much more memorable moments to savour from his maiden Test series as he went on to grab figures of five for 94 in his debut Test in a losing effort. In the second Test in a pink-ball/day-night affair at The Gabba in Brisbane, Joseph produced an inspiring spell of seven for 68 to bowl the Windies to their first Test win in Australia in 27 years as they eked out an unforgettable eight-run victory.

Joseph's feat was made all the more impressive as he bowled 11.5 consecutively on an injured toe, before cleaning up the last-man Hazlewood to spark wild scenes at The Gabba. On the previous day of the Test on day three, Joseph retired his innings after being struck on the foot by a brutal Mitchell Starc yorker and was a doubt to feature in the remainder of the match.

A determined Joseph took 13 wickets in the series at an average of 17.30 and claimed the Player-of-the-Series award as West Indies drew the series 1-1.

Upon receiving the Player of the Month honour, Joseph said, "I am extremely delighted to win this award. To get such an award on the world stage feels special.

"I totally enjoyed every moment of that experience playing for West Indies in Australia, especially the magic of the final day at The Gabba. Taking the wicket to win the match was a dream!"

Joseph said he is focused on putting in the hard yards to deliver more match-winning performances with the ball – and with bat in hand as well. Batting at number 11, Joseph made an entertaining 36 off 41 balls in the first innings of the Adelaide Test.

"I want to say special thanks to the teammates and support staff in Australia who backed me from the start to get the job done," Joseph said.

"I will be the one receiving the award, but this is also for the team and all the fans of the West Indies as well."

On February 1, Joseph was immediately rewarded by Cricket West Indies (CWI) for his heroics in Australia, when he was given an international retainer contract for the 2023/24 period.

Joseph has also landed a deal with Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Peshawar Zalmi, which is coached by Windies white-ball coach Daren Sammy. And on Saturday, Joseph was announced as Lucknow Super Giants' replacement player for English seamer Mark Wood for this year's IPL season. Joseph had also been signed by Dubai Capitals for the ongoing ILT20 campaign but was subsequently ruled out with the toe injury he sustained at The Gabba.