ICC announces November Player of the Month nominees: Know who they are

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made its Player of the Month nominations public for the month of November, consisting of excellent players during the Test series, tri-series, and major women's tournaments. The men’s category sees the inclusion of the two veteran bowlers, Simon Harmer from South Africa, and Taijul Islam from Bangladesh, while Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz is also a candidate for the award. The nominees for the women's prize are Esha Oza from the UAE, Thipatcha Putthawong from Thailand, and Shafali Verma, India’s World Cup final hero.

Harmer and Islam were key players in their series; Harmer contributed to the South African victory over the Indians, and Islam received credit for Bangladesh's clean sweep against Ireland. On the other hand, Nawaz’s all-rounder performances were instrumental in the success of the Pakistan team in the Tri-Series campaign, which included Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.

Putthawong and Oza were among the best players in the first-ever ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which took place in Bangkok. Putthawong’s incredible bowling was an important factor in Thailand taking the championship, while Oza moved the UAE to second place with her all-around talent. It was Verma who shone in India’s first ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup win, and she grabbed her spot through her performance in the final as the Player of the Match.

ALSO SEE: Watch: Mitchell Starc picks this India star among his three best cricketers he has played with in his career

Men’s Shortlist Highlights

Simon Harmer (South Africa)

Harmer was the main contributor of South Africa’s remarkable 2-0 Test series triumph over India, the first in 25 years. The off-spinner took 17 wickets with an astonishing average of 8.94 in the two Tests. He was awarded Player of the Match for his eight-wicket feat in the first Test and was then again recognised as the Player of the Series for his six wickets for 37 runs in the second Test that culminated the series win.

Taijul Islam (Bangladesh)

Taijul’s home advantage continued to work well for him, and he ended up being the leading wicket-taker in Bangladesh’s 2-0 victory over Ireland. He got 13 wickets at 26.30, reliably breaking partnerships and getting the Player of the Series title.

Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan)

Mohammad Nawaz put his versatility into practice in Pakistan's Tri-Series win. He had a total of 104 runs in ODIs with an average of 52.00, a strike rate of over 114, and four wickets. In T20Is, he contributed 52 runs along with an amazing 11 wickets at 12.72, which included a match-winning three-wicket haul for just 17 runs in the final.

Women’s Shortlist Features All-Round Brilliance

Esha Oza (UAE)

Oza's performances were exceptional in the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy. The player scored a total of 187 runs with a strike rate of 137.50 and got seven wickets with the best figures against Namibia of 68 not out and two wickets. Her regularity in scoring runs was the major reason for her being awarded the Player of the Tournament title.

Shafali Verma (India)

Shafali Verma’s audacious hitting helped India win the World Cup in the greatest way possible. The superstar scored 87 off 78 balls in the final and also took two important wickets, thus being named Player of the Match.

Thipatcha Putthawong (Thailand)

Putthawong’s left-arm spin was the key to Thailand’s title. She was the joint leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 15 wickets, four of which she took in the final against Scotland.