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Mushfiqur Rahim has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for May 2026. The Bangladesh wicketkeeper batsman has been crowned the best player for Bangladesh in the last few months. He was phenomenal especially in the Test series against Pakistan. He left behind Nepal’s all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airi, who had given tough competition to Nepal.
Mushfiqur Rahim played an important role in the victory of Bangla Tigers against Pakistan. They won the Test series 2–0, their second win over the Men in Green in the space of a year. The veteran scored 253 runs in two Test matches at an average of 63.25. This is the second time that Mushfiqur has won the monthly ICC award.
Mushfiqur Rahim wins Player of the Month award after five years
Mushfiqur scored a crucial 71 in the first innings of the first Test before scoring a series-defining effort in Sylhet when he scored a brilliant 137 in the second innings of the second Test. His performance earned him Player of the Series honors, as Bangladesh achieved a historic whitewash of Pakistan for the second consecutive Test series.
The 39-year-old has also won the award for his stellar performance against Sri Lanka in May 2021, where he scored 237 runs in three One Day Internationals (ODIs), including a brilliant top score of 125, helping Bangladesh secure their first bilateral ODI series win against their opponents. Five years later, he is again stepping up for his country.
It is a big honor – Mushfiqur Rahim
“It is a great honor to be named ICC Player of the Month once again and I am particularly pleased that this recognition has come for my performances in Test cricket,” Mushfiqur said. “My teammate Taijul also played a big role in our memorable series win over Pakistan, which we will all remember for a long time.”
“Our win also helped us climb the ICC World Test Championship standings, making the achievement even more significant for the team. “I am grateful to my teammates and support staff for their support, and I look forward to contributing further to Bangladesh’s success in the coming months.”
Who else was nominated for Player of the Month?
Apart from Mushfiqur Rahim, the other Bangladeshi player who was nominated was left-arm spinner Taijul Islam, who led the Bangla Tigers’ bowling attack in the victorious series against Pakistan. He finished as the leading wicket-taker in the two-Test competition with 13 wickets at an average of 19.61.
Deependra Singh Airey was also there for Nepal in their extraordinary month in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign. Ari scored 249 runs in six ODIs at an average of 49.80 and a strike rate of 110.66, which included a century and two half-centuries against the UAE.
But Rahim left both of them behind
Many more to follow….
