Daijiworld Media Network – Dubai

Dubai, Jun 3: India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has been nominated for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for May, following her commanding performance in the ODI tri-series held in Sri Lanka.

Mandhana struck 204 runs across three matches, with a standout knock of 123 from 101 balls against South Africa, leading India to victory in the tournament. She also chipped in with a crucial 44-run contribution in the final against the hosts.

Joining her on the women’s shortlist are West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews and South Africa all-rounder Chloe Tryon. Matthews, currently the world’s top-ranked T20I all-rounder, was named Player of the Series in a T20I contest against England, scoring 177 runs at a strike rate above 137 and picking up three wickets. She also contributed with a 48-run knock and two wickets in the ODI series opener.

Tryon impressed with her dual skills, scoring 176 runs at a strike rate of 131.34 and claiming six wickets in the same tri-series. Her spell of 5 for 34 against Sri Lanka, which included a hat-trick, and a composed 67-run innings against India stood out.

In the men’s category, Scotland’s Brendon McMullen, USA’s Milind Kumar, and UAE’s Muhammad Waseem have been nominated for their performances in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.

McMullen tallied 233 runs and 10 wickets in five ODIs, including a match-winning 101 and four-wicket haul against the Netherlands. Milind Kumar hammered 201 runs at a strike rate of 116.86 and took nine wickets, becoming the first USA cricketer to hit a fifty and take five wickets in a single ODI.

Waseem showcased his form across both formats, scoring 169 runs in five ODIs before leading the UAE to a 2-1 T20I series win over Bangladesh with match-winning scores of 54 and 82 as an opener.