Bangladesh pace sensation Rana in line for April’s ICC honour
Bangladesh’s pace sensation Nahid Rana has been shortlisted for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for April 2026, following an impressive performance that dismantled New Zealand’s batting order during the recent home series.
The 23-year-old speedster is joined on the shortlist by Oman captain Jatinder Singh and UAE left-arm seamer Ajay Kumar. Jatinder scored 266 runs in the month, including a record-breaking 139 against Nepal, while newcomer Ajay took nine wickets in his first two ODIs – including a six-wicket haul against Oman – in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Rana was the standout performer in the Tigers' 2-1 ODI series victory against the Black Caps. His raw pace and disciplined lines earned him the Player of the Series trophy, finishing with eight wickets at an impressive economy rate of 4.46.
The crown jewel of his April campaign was a five-wicket haul (5-32) in the second ODI in Mirpur, which proved decisive in Bangladesh’s 55-run win. He maintained his rhythm through to the final match in Chattogram, claiming two more wickets to help seal the series win.
In the women’s category, Sri Lanka’s Imesha Dulani has been nominated after haunting Bangladesh on their home turf. Dulani was the Player of the Series in the ICC Women’s Championship matches against the Tigresses, scoring 116 runs in the ODIs and a further 82 in the T20Is. She is nominated alongside South African star Laura Wolvaardt and Brazil’s Laura Cardosa, the latter of whom recently made history by taking nine wickets in a single T20I.
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