Bangladesh’s fast bowling talent Nahid Rana has made it to the shortlist for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for April 2026, following an outstanding performance that disrupted New Zealand’s batting lineup in the recent series held at home.
The 23-year-old quick bowler is in contention for the award along with Oman’s captain Jatinder Singh and UAE’s left-arm seamer Ajay Kumar. Jatinder amassed 266 runs in the month, including a remarkable 139 against Nepal, while newcomer Ajay impressed with nine wickets in his first two ODIs, notably a six-wicket haul against Oman, in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.
Rana shone brightly in the Tigers’ 2-1 ODI series triumph over the Black Caps. His sheer pace and precise bowling earned him the Player of the Series accolade, finishing with eight wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.46.
A standout moment in his April campaign was his five-wicket haul (5-32) in the second ODI in Mirpur, which played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s 55-run victory. He carried his form into the final match in Chattogram, securing two additional wickets to help clinch the series.
In the women’s category, Sri Lanka’s Imesha Dulani has been nominated after delivering superb performances against Bangladesh on their home ground. Dulani was the standout player in the ICC Women’s Championship matches against the Tigresses, scoring 116 runs in the ODIs and an additional 82 in the T20Is. She is competing for the award alongside South African sensation Laura Wolvaardt and Brazil’s Laura Cardosa, who recently made history by taking nine wickets in a single T20I.
