Asif Ali among the nominees for the ICC Player of the Month award

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the nominees for the October ICC Player of the Month, which was launched in January this year to recognize the best international performance in all formats for both male and female cricketers.

The nominees for October in the men's category are all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan from Bangladesh, Pakistan's power hitter and finisher Asif Ali and Namibia's prolific hitter David Weise. While in the women's category Ireland's all-rounder Laura Delany and right-hander Gaby Lewis together with Zimbabwe's captain and all-rounder Mary-Anne Musonda make up the list.

ICC player of the month October:

Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh)

Shakib Al Hasan played six T20Is in the ongoing 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman last month. He scored a total of 131 runs with a strike rate of 109.16 and took a total of 11 wickets with an economy rate of 5.59. Shakib had two spectacular all-round matches at the tournament last month, scoring 42 goals and taking three wickets against Oman before beating 46 and taking four wickets against Papua New Guinea. This is Al Hasan's second nomination this year.

Asif Ali (Pakistan)

Pakistan's prolific mid-tier batsman Asif Ali also played three T20Is in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World 2021 last month, where he scored a total of 52 runs with a hit rate of 273.68. His breakthrough achievement was when he scored 27 balls out of just 12 to beat New Zealand. He went on to beat over four sixes in the next game against Afghanistan in the 19th and seal a win against them.

David Wiese (Namibia)

The Namibian all-round veteran David Weise has contested a spectacular ICC T20 Men's World Cup so far. He played eight T20Is in which he scored a total of 162 runs at a strike rate of 132.78 and won seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.23. David's winning performance helped Namibia qualify for the Super 12 stage of the tournament, where he scored 66 against the Netherlands and 28 against Ireland while also contributing with the ball.

ICC player of the month October:

Laura Delany (Ireland)

Ireland's all-rounder Delany played four ODIs against Zimbabwe last month and scored 189 runs with a hit rate of 108.62. In addition, she took four wickets at a savings rate of 3.85. Delany went on to score 86, 35 and 68 in her three innings in the ODI series victory over Zimbabwe.

Gaby Lewis (Ireland)

Gaby also played four ODIs against Zimbabwe for a total of 263 runs with a hit rate of 77.35. Lewis was the lead scorer in Ireland's ODI series win over Zimbabwe, scoring 65, 96 missed and 78 in the last three games as Ireland bounced back from a 0-1 deficit and the series with Zimbabwe 3-1 won.

Mary-Anne Musonda (Zimbabwe)

Musonda led Zimbabwe in four ODIs against Ireland and scored a total of 169 runs with a hit rate of 90.86. On a day that turned out to be historic for Zimbabwe when they played their first ODI since being awarded status, Mary-Anne Musonda's undefeated century had led them to a four-wicket win over Ireland.