Men’s Player of the Month nominees for August 2023: Following a number of competitive white-ball fixtures that took place during August, five nations are represented among the candidates vying for the accolades as voting commences among the panel and global cricket fans.
The nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award features two stars of Pakistan’s recent One Day International (ODI) success, as well as the Player of the Series in the West Indies’ T20I triumph over India.
ICC Player of the Month nominees: Babar Azam (PAK) :-
While collective success at the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will be in focus, Babar has celebrated several personal accolades in recent months, not least the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year for his performances last year.
Babar now sets his sights on becoming the first men’s cricketer to win three ICC Men’s Player of the Month Awards after scores of 53 and 60 helped secure a 3-0 ODI series victory over Afghanistan, and a mammoth 151 ensured Pakistan routed Nepal in the Asia Cup opener last month.
Shadab Khan (PAK) :-
Shadab is nominated for the first time in the Player of the Month awards as his notable contributions with bat and ball in August set Pakistan up for success against Afghanistan and Nepal.
The first two fixtures against Afghanistan heralded just a solitary wicket, but he clicked in the final fixture, taking three for 42 to secure the whitewash. Like Babar, Shadab then reserved his best display for the last outing in the calendar month, launching their Asia Cup campaign with a spell of four for 27 in the win against Nepal.
Nicholas Pooran (WI) :-
With 176 runs across his five T20I outings against India which led to a vital 3-2 series victory, Nicholas Pooran is also a strong contender for this month’s prize. Following defeats in the Test and ODI showdowns in the weeks prior, Pooran inspired the West Indies’ resurgence in the shortest format with two forty-plus scores book-ending a match-winning 67 in 40 balls in the second duel in Guyana.
The ICC Player of the Month Voting Process :-
The three nominees for either category are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month. The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world.
The ICC Voting Academy comprises prominent members of the cricket fraternity including well-known journalists, former players, broadcasters and members of the ICC Hall of Fame. The Voting Academy submit their votes by email and hold a 90 per cent share of the vote. Fans registered with the ICC can vote via the ICC website, accounting for the remaining 10 per cent. Winners are announced every second Monday of the month on ICC’s digital channels.
