Starc and Wolvaardt named ICC Players of the Month for December
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc and South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt have been named ICC Players of the Month for December 2025 following dominant performances across formats.
The duo edged out strong competition to win the prestigious awards, with Starc impressing during the home Ashes series and Wolvaardt shining in both ODIs and T20Is against Ireland.
Mitchell Starc leads Australia to Ashes triumph
Mitchell Starc was instrumental in Australia’s 4-1 Ashes series win in December. The left-arm quick claimed 16 wickets at an average of 21.25 and scored 139 runs across three Tests.
His standout performance came in the second Test in Brisbane, where he was named Player of the Match for his eight wickets and a crucial 77 with the bat. He also contributed a key half-century (54) in the series-deciding fifth Test in Adelaide.
Starc beat out fellow nominees Jacob Duffy (New Zealand) and Justin Greaves (West Indies) to win the award.
“It’s an honour to be named the ICC Player of the Month, and even more special that it came on the back of such a successful home Ashes,” said Starc. “To have played a part in winning such an iconic series in front of our home crowd is something we will all relish for a long time.”
Starc also noted Australia’s momentum heading into 2026 and the ICC World Test Championship Final as a key goal.
Laura Wolvaardt continues stunning form for South Africa
Laura Wolvaardt continued her outstanding run of form, winning her second ICC Player of the Month award in three months. The South Africa skipper scored 255 runs at a strike rate of 111.84 in the ODI series against Ireland, including centuries in the final two matches (124 and 100*).
She also excelled in the T20I format, with 137 runs at a strike rate of 190.27, highlighted by an unbeaten 115 in the first match.
Wolvaardt edged out teammate Sune Luus and India’s Shafali Verma to claim the December award.
“To win it two times in three months is very special and something I’ll cherish for a long time,” said Wolvaardt. “It was hugely rewarding to contribute with runs across both the ODI and T20I formats during Ireland’s tour.”
Looking ahead to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, Wolvaardt emphasized her goal of carrying momentum into a crucial summer in England and Wales.
Awards voted by global fans and expert panel
The ICC Player of the Month awards are decided by a combination of votes from global cricket fans registered at icc-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising former international players and media representatives.
Fans can vote every month for their favourite cricketers across all formats of international cricket through the official ICC Awards platform.
