![No Indian Or Pakistani player nominated [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1778233826120_ViratKohliandBabarAzam.jpg?type=hq)
No Indian Or Pakistani player nominated [Source: AFP]
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has unveiled the nominations for the ICC Player of the Month award for the month of April 2026. Understandably, not a single Indian or Pakistan cricketer was named in the nominees, considering players from both nations were involved in their respective T20 leagues throughout the entire month.
Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana was the only player from a Test-playing nation that made a cut into the list, finding himself alongside star performers from Oman and UAE.
Nahid Rana named among ICC Player of the Month nominees
Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana headlined the list of April 2026 nominees for the ICC Player of the Month award. The speedster made a cut into the list for his bowling heroics against the visiting New Zealand team in Bangladesh.
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Rana decimated New Zealand in Bangladesh’s comprehensive 2-1 series victory, and he even bagged the ‘Player of the Series’ award. The 23-year-old picked up eight wickets in three innings at an impressive bowling average of 16.75, which included a match-winning five-wicket haul in Mirpur on April 20.
Associate stars rise amid T20 league seasons
With several overseas stars getting occupied in the ongoing IPL 2026 in India and the recently-concluded PSL 2026 in Pakistan in April, the spotlight shifted toward cricketers from the international circuit and Associate nations.
Oman right-handed batter Jatinder Singh and UAE fast bowler Ajay Kumar earned nominations after producing standout performances for their respective sides during the month.
Jatinder Singh aggregated 276 runs in five ODI innings during the 30-day period, which included a blistering 130 against Nepal during an ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 game in Kirtipur. The cricketer maintained an impressive batting average of 55.20 during the period.
Ajay Kumar, on the other hand, picked up nine wickets in just two ODI innings in Nepal. The speedster claimed six of those wickets in a single game against Oman in a match-winning cause for the UAE team.
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt among ICC Women nominees
On the same day, the ICC also unveiled the list of all three nominations for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for the month of April 2026.
South Africa captain and senior opener Laura Wolvaardt is in the running to bag the prestigious award for scoring 138 runs in just two ODI innings against New Zealand, which included back-to-back 69 in match-winning causes in Wellington.
Even in the five-match T20I series against India Women at home, the prolific opener minted 330 runs in just five innings with three half-centuries and a century.
Sri Lanka batter Imesha Dulani accumulated 116 runs in three ODIs during the same period at an average of 38.66 against Bangladesh. She even made an additional 82 runs in two T20I innings against the same opponent in Sylhet on April 28 and April 30.
Much to everyone’s surprise, a cricketer from Brazil bagged the nomination for her all-round proficiency. Laura Cardoso scored 203 runs in seven matches of the month at an average of 50.75, which included match-winning knocks against Botswana and Zambia.
With the ball, Cardoso claimed 17 wickets at an unreal average of 2. The 21-year-old picked up nine wickets in the game against Lesotho in Gaborone during BCA Kalahari Women's T20 International Tournament. Her bowling figures of 9-4 became one of the greatest ever spells recorded in a T20I game.
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