Sonal Dinusha [Source: AP]Sri Lanka’s rising star Sonal Dinusha has been rewarded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for his prolific series against India. In two matches of the series, the 25-year-old mounted 420 runs at an astronomical average of 140. The ICC has now nominated the cricketer for a major award, the ICC Player of the Month award for August 2026. He is nominated alongside England’s pace sensation Ollie Robinson and Bangladesh’s tearaway fast bowler Hasan Mahmud. Sonal Dinusha nominated for ICC Player of the Month awardSonal Dinusha has been nominated by the ICC for the ICC Player of the Month award for the month of August 2026. The youngster was rewarded for his prolific two-match Test series against India at home.He is currently one of the three contenders to lift the prestigious ICC award alongside fast bowlers Ollie Robinson and Hasan Mahmud.Also Read- Sonal Dinusha Like Players Who Have Single-Handedly Thrashed India In A Test SeriesCompeting with two pacemen, Dinusha might well emerge as the ultimate favorite to win the honour, considering the 25-year-old just conquered India’s experienced bowling attack on spin-friendly Sri Lankan surfaces.A series to remember for Sonal DinushaSonal Dinusha was selected in Sri Lanka squad for the two-match series against India with just three prior Test caps to his name.With just one fifty in the first five innings of his Test career, Dinusha reversed his fortunes with an epic century against India at Galle, and followed it up with another breezy 84. Unfortunately for him, Sri Lanka lost the match by 165 runs to go 0-1 down in the series.The talented middle-order batter plundered two more centuries in Colombo to aggregate 236 runs in the series-decider alone. He belted 103 off 162 balls in the first Sri Lankan innings, and then occupied the crease for over seven hours to make 133* off 264 to orchestrate a great escape for his side. By the end of the series, Sonal Dinusha added 420 Test runs to his career, doing so at a prolific series average of 140 courtesy of his three hundreds and one fifty.Moreover, Dinusha even propelled his career Test average up to a staggering 86.57, which was hovering around 46 before the series.Ollie Robinson and Hasan Mahmud to compete with DinushaEngland fast bowler Ollie Robinson and Bangladesh speedster Hasan Mahmud will have to compete with Sonal Dinusha’s generational series performance against India in a bid to win the prestigious ICC Player of the Month award for the month of August 2026.It is worth noting that Robinson himself enjoyed a prolific month, feasting on Pakistan’s batters in the pristine bowling conditions in England. In the two Tests he played during the period in Leeds and Lord’s, the speedster picked up eight Pakistani wickets as England took a 2-0 lead in the series.Even Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud scripted history for his side, decimating the mighty Australians in Darwin. His nine-wicket match haul paved way for a remarkable Bangladesh win, before hosts levelled the series. Ultimately, with all three contenders producing match-winning performances in August, the ICC Player of the Month race promises to be a closely fought battle.Also Read- India-A Players Who Will Keep Virat Kohli On The Hook For World Cup 2027
