Australian spinner of Indian origin Alana King has been named the ICC Player of the Month for February 2025, following her stellar performance against England in the Women’s Ashes. King’s match-winning display in the one-off Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) played a crucial role in Australia’s commanding innings and 122-run victory.
King edged out teammate Annabel Sutherland and Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong to claim the prestigious award, marking the third consecutive month that an Australian player has won the accolade. Beth Mooney (January 2025) and Sutherland (December 2024) were the previous winners.
Ashes Test Heroics at the MCG
The leg-spinner delivered a sensational nine-wicket haul, dismantling England’s batting lineup in both innings. In the first innings, King picked up 4-45, helping bowl out England for just 170 runs. Australia responded with a massive lead of 270 runs, putting the visitors under immense pressure.
King returned in the second innings with another dominant performance, claiming 5-53, ensuring England was bundled out for 148. Her match figures of 9-98 were pivotal in securing Australia’s victory and emphatically retaining the Ashes.
Winning her first-ever ICC Player of the Month award, King credited her teammates for their support and reflected on the significance of the Ashes series.
“It’s been a big summer for the girls, and we’re obviously really pleased to have retained the Ashes the way we did.
I was proud to have played a role in that success and will remember that series, in particular the Test match, for a long time. There’s no bigger stage than an Ashes Test on the MCG, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it,”
King said, as quoted by ICC.
Apart from her dominance with the ball, King also contributed in the field, taking two catches and adding a few runs with the bat. Her efforts helped Australia complete a historic 16-0 clean sweep across all formats in the multi-format Women’s Ashes series, a feat never seen before.
With this award, King cements her status as one of the world’s premier spinners, and her performances continue to inspire the next generation of cricketers.
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