Two Pakistani players and an explosive West Indian wicket-keeper have been named to the ICC Men’s Player of the Month shortlist for August 2023.
ICC Men’s Player of the Month Aug 2023
Babar Azam, a two-time ICC Men’s Player of the Month, will attempt to win the coveted award for the third time after being nominated for August 2023.
Babar the top-ranked hitter
With two fifties and a century, the top-ranked hitter in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings maintained his hot streak from the previous month.
Babar did not disturb the scorers in the opening ODI of the three-match series against Afghanistan, but he immediately recovered with two consecutive fifties.
The brilliance of Babar Azam
In the second ODI, the Pakistan captain shared a key 118-run stand with Imam-ul-Haq, laying the groundwork for an exciting last-over duel. In the chase, Babar scored 53 runs and was well backed by Imam (91 runs) and the lower order.
With Naseem Shah once again proving to be a problem with the bat for Afghanistan, Pakistan won the match with a ball and a wicket to spare.
A 3-0 series sweep
He then added another critical 60 to help his team to a solid total of 268/8. Pakistan’s bowlers shined, securing an easy 59-run victory to complete a 3-0 series sweep.
His outstanding record carried over to the Asia Cup, when he hit a magnificent 131-ball 151 against Nepal in the tournament’s opening match. During the innings, Babar became the fastest player in ODI history to score 19 hundreds.
Shadab Khan (Pakistan)
In the month of August, Pakistan’s star all-rounder Shadab Khan produced crucial contributions with both the bat and the ball, earning him a Player of the Month nomination.
His 39 off 50 in the first ODI against Afghanistan guided Pakistan to a decent total of 201. He scalped Abdul Rahman with the ball as Pakistan cleaned Afghanistan out for 59.
‘world-class’ brilliance, Shadab Khan
Shadab’s batting skills was on full show in the second ODI, where he was named Player of the Match after scoring 48 off 35 balls.
His outstanding effort with the lower-order batsmen changed the game, propelling Pakistan to a thrilling victory.
He bowled 3/42 in the final ODI, accounting for Riaz Hassan, Hashmatullah Shahidi, and Shahidullah, who broke the back of Afghanistan’s batting line-up as Pakistan completed a 3-0 sweep.
Shadab continued his outstanding run with a four-for against Nepal in the Asia Cup opener. This time, he used his cunning and cunning to demolish Nepal’s lower-order, recording figures of 4/27.
Nicholas Pooran (West Indies)
Nicholas Pooran was a thorn in India’s side in August, when the West Indies ended a six-year drought against the Men in Blue with a T20I series win.
Pooran scored a measured 34-ball 41 to help West Indies reach 149/6 after batting first. The total was enough for the Windies to secure a thrilling four-run victory over India.
Spectacular 40
The measured knock was followed by a spectacular 40-ball 67, which included six fours and four sixes.
The century pulled the game away from India, and despite a collapse following his wicket, West Indies’ ninth-wicket duo won the game in a tense contest.
Pooran, on the other hand, had losses in the third and fourth T20Is, scoring 20 and one respectively, allowing India to rally and force a decider.
Pooran struck a decisive 47 from 35 balls in the last match as West Indies cruised to an eight-wicket win chasing 166.
To read our blog on “Haris Rauf’s record-setting performance at the 2023 Asia Cup,” click here
