Babar Azam, Chamari Athapaththu lead ICC Player of the Month nominations
The Pakistan captain and holder of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy has been nominated for his performance at the latter end of his team’s 4-1 win over New Zealand.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday revealed the latest crop of outstanding international performers shortlisted as candidates for the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month Awards for May.
In the men’s category, Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been nominated along with Bangladesh batsman Najmul Hussain Shanto and Ireland middle-order batsman Harry Tector.
The Pakistan captain and holder of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy has been nominated for his performance at the latter end of his team’s 4-1 win over New Zealand.
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Babar was involved in a second-wicket century partnership with Imam-ul-Haq on 3 May, ending with 54 runs from 62 balls as his side moved to 287/6. The captain took a 4–1 lead two days later in the next match, claiming player of the match honors in his team’s 102-run victory. He compiled 107 (117), his 18th ODI century, to help the hosts post 334/6.
If successful, Babar will become the first player to win the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award on three different occasions (April 2021 and March 2022).
Bangladesh batsman Shanto has been shortlisted for the first time after an impressive spell of run-scoring as his team won over Ireland. He claimed the Player of the Series award for his 196 runs in a tightly contested 2–0 sweep of the tourists.
The last candidate in line is Ireland’s Harry Tector, who continued his good international form against Bangladesh, albeit on the losing side.
Tector becomes Ireland’s first nominee for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award since Paul Stirling was shortlisted back in January 2021 and his first nomination comes on the back of a sustained period of good form in international colours.
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Sri Lanka have claimed two nominees for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for May. Captain Chamari Athapaththu led the team to series victories over Bangladesh in ODIs and T20Is, scoring well in both formats.
Even with the responsibility of captaincy, it has been Athapaththu’s consistent flow of runs that makes his individual exploits all the more remarkable.
Her compatriot Harshita Madavi also made decisive contributions in both the series, starring as the Player of the Series in the matches of the T20I round.
The lineup is completed by Thailand’s Thipoacha Puthavong, who aims to emulate teammate Narumol Chaiwai’s Player of the Month award in April.
His bowling prowess helped his side claim gold at the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – IANS,
