Mehidy, Muzarabani, Sears nominated for ICC Men's Player of the Month award for April 2025

New Delhi, May 5 (IANS) Bangladesh all-rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani and New Zealand fast-bowler Ben Sears have been nominated for ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for April 2025.

Nominated for the first time for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award and aiming to be the first Bangladesh player to win the honour since Shakib Al Hasan did so in March 2023, Mehidy enjoyed a prolific April with bat and ball, ending the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe as the Player of the Series.

After picking ten wickets in the opening Test match defeat in Sylhet (5-52 and 5-50), Mehidy then hit 104 in the second game at Chattogram - his second Test century - before clinching another five wicket-haul to ensure the honours were shared.

On the other hand, Muzarabani became just the second Zimbabwe bowler to reach 700 rating points in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings in April, reaching the landmark with a Player of the Match performance in the first Test victory over Bangladesh – making this Zimbabwe’s first away Test win since 2021.

After taking three wickets in the first innings and with a healthy lead of 82 heading into the second essay, Muzarabani ran through Bangladesh’s top and middle order to claim 6-72 and set up a thrilling three-wicket victory for Zimbabwe in Sylhet.

Sears, meanwhile, made his ODI debut for New Zealand in February and this month saw him shine bright for the Blackcaps. Brought into the playing eleven for the second of three matches against Pakistan, Sears starred alongside Jacob Duffy and Will O’Rourke to unleash a fearsome spell of fast bowling in Hamilton and take his first ODI five-wicket haul (5-59).

He then was at his ferocious best in Mount Maunganui, picking figures of 5-34 to help the hosts’ claim a commanding 43-run victory and ensure they registered a 3-0 series sweep, with Sears ending up as the Player of the Series for picking 10 wickets at an average of 9.30 while maintaining an economy rate of 5.07.

--IANS

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