Jasprit Bumrah. (Source – Getty Images)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has named the outstanding cricketers that have been shortlisted for the ICC Player of the Month awards for November.
The nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award feature three high-profile wicket-takers from across all formats of the game.
Jasprit Bumrah is nominated thanks to a supreme bowling display in India’s convincing opening Test victory over Australia in Perth, during which he regained top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings. Joining him on the shortlist is South Africa’s Marco Jansen, who produced fireworks in the T20I series over India before dazzling with the ball in the Proteas’ Test win against Sri Lanka. Completing the lineup is Haris Rauf of Pakistan, who inspired the visitors’ first ODI series win in Australia since 2002.
The Women’s Player of the Month contenders for November include two top-order run machines from Bangladesh and England, plus an all-round force from South Africa.
Bangladesh batter Sharmin Akhter led from the front in her side’s opening ODI duels over Ireland in Mirpur. Nadine de Klerk topped the run-scoring and wicket-taking charts for South Africa in their T20I series against England to earn her place among the nominees, while the visitors can boast opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge on the shortlist after a sparkling set of scores helped England claim the series 3-0.
ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for November:
Jasprit Bumrah (IND)
India’s frontline pacer returned to the top of the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings in November, and aims to win his second ICC Men’s Player of the Month award after starring in the visitors’ opening Test victory over Australia. Deputising for the absent Rohit Sharma, stand-in skipper Bumrah produced electric spells with the ball, taking five for 30 in a memorable first innings display, and three for 42 in the second to ensure India kept their hopes alive of a spot in next year’s ICC World Test Championship Final.
Marco Jansen (SA)
The 24-year-old all-rounder is in contention to be the first South African to win the award since Keshav Maharaj in April 2022, thanks to success across the Proteas’ long and short format outings in November. While Jansen enjoyed modest success with the ball in their T20I series against India, his highlight came smashing 54 in 17 balls in a narrow defeat at Centurion. Better outcomes were forthcoming on Jansen’s return to the Test arena, where he blitzed a touring Sri Lanka lineup to take 11 wickets in the match, and seven for 13 in the first innings – his best figures in the longest format in just 41 deliveries, to add momentum to South Africa’s World Test Championship Final charge.
Haris Rauf (PAK)
With no fewer than six ODIs and three T20Is in November, a bumper month of action saw the Pakistan quick return to his fearsome best on the international stage. Five wickets at an impressive average of 15.40 was his return in the shortest format, but among his 13 ODI wickets at 16.61, he played a headline-grabbing role as Player of the Series in Pakistan’s first ODI series win in Australia since 2002, notching ten wickets which included dismantling the middle order in his five for 29 in Adelaide.
ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for November:
Sharmin Akhter (BAN)
The Bangladesh batter celebrates her first nomination for ICC Women’s Player of the Month and a win would see her emulate compatriot Nahida Akter as the only other Bangladeshi to win the award since its inception. The 28-year-old enjoyed a splendid start to the ODI series against Ireland, with two excellent performances during the calendar month. Sharmin hit a career-high 96 in a dominant Player of the Match display in the first encounter in which the home side recorded a convincing 154-run win. She continued where she left off in the second match, striking 43 to set up a five-wicket victory in Mirpur.
Nadine de Klerk (SA)
Despite a humbling 3-0 series loss at the hands of England on home soil, de Klerk was in fine form during November’s contests, topping her side’s list of run-scorers and wicket-takers. With 80 runs and four wickets to her name during the calendar month, the all-rounder resisted England’s charge, notably in the first and second matches, where she recorded 29 not out and two for 20, and 32 not out and two for 36 respectively.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Eng)
A veteran in the England lineup across more than 280 internationals, Wyatt-Hodge is another to mark her maiden nomination in the ICC Women’s Player of the Month awards following a scintillating month at the crease during England’s T20I successes in South Africa. A quiet start in East London preceded an explosive 78 in 45 balls en route to a thumping 36-run win in Benoni. Not done there, the 33-year-old ended the series in style, striking another eye-catching half-century to seal the series sweep with a nine-wicket win at Centurion.