NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council( ICC) has announced the nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month Award for October 2023, featuring standout performances in a month filled with thrilling cricket action. The nominees include Indian pacemaker Jasprit Bumrah, South African opener Quinton de Kock, and emerging talent from New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra.
Jasprit Bumrah, the fast-bowling smash hit from India, has been in destructive form during the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023. His exceptional performances with the ball have played a significant part in India’s unbeaten start to the competition. Bumrah’s standout moments included taking pivotal wickets in matches against Australia, Afghanistan, and arch-rivals Pakistan. In these games, he claimed a totality of 14 wickets at a splendid average of 15.07, with a remarkable frugality rate of 3.91.
Quinton de Kock, the well-versed South African opener, showcased his astonishing batting mastery during the Cricket World Cup. Despite announcing his retirement from one-day international cricket at the end of the tournament, de Kock’s impact was undoubtedly strong. He kicked off his campaign with back-to-back centuries against Sri Lanka and Australia, and his outstanding performance against Bangladesh, where he scored a historic 174 runs, added to his talent. In October, de Kock scored a total of 431 runs at a splendid average of 71.83.
Rachin Ravindra, the adolescent New Zealand batter, made a significant impact with his performances during the Cricket World Cup, even though he would only play 12 ODIs before the tournament. His marvellous 123 runs off 96 balls in the opening match against England set the tone for his stellar campaign. Ravindra continued his fine form with half-centuries against the Netherlands and India and finished the month with an outstanding 116 against Australia. In October, he scored a total of 406 runs with an average of 81.20, earning him his first selection for the ICC Player of the Month Award.
