The rise of Najmul Hossain Shanto continued in the past month, with the 24-year-old enjoying another productive series in the ODI format, this time against Ireland. As a result, he was nominated for the ICC’s Player of the Month for May alongside Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Ireland’s Harry Tector, the ICC revealed on Tuesday. Babar Azam and Harry Tector were also nominated for the award.
Najmul started his innings with a knock of 44 after being placed in the No. 3 position for the series. However, his bat was fruitless since rain started falling, which resulted to their being no result.
In the second match, Najmul’s valiant efforts culminated to an astonishing triumph. In a game that had a total of 320 to be chased down in 45 overs, Najmul raced to his first century in the format in only 83 balls. He finished with 117 runs off of 93 deliveries, including 12 fours and three sixes.
Najmul once again made a contribution in match three for Bangladesh, scoring 35 runs and claiming 1/10 with his off-spin bowling in a victory by five runs for Bangladesh in the final over of the chase.
As Bangladesh wrapped up their triumphant Super League season on a high note, Najmul’s efforts were recognized with the honor of being named Player of the Series.
Once again, the captain of Pakistan’s national team stood up for his country, this time during the one-day international series that his team played at home against New Zealand.
After Pakistan won the first two of five matches in the series back in late April, they went on to win the final two matches of the series back in early May, bringing their overall record to a 4-1 victory.
It should not have come as much of a surprise that Babar’s successes with the bat were the driving force behind the favorable outcomes.
On May 3, Babar and Imam-ul-Haq put up a century-long partnership for the second wicket, and their team ultimately scored 287 runs for six wickets. Babar finished with 54 runs off of 62 balls. Following that, he proceeded to utilize six different bowlers in his team’s attempt in the field, and as a result, the tourists were bowled out for a score of 261.
Two days later, in the second match, the captain took his game to the next level, earning Player of the Match honors for his team’s victory by 102 runs, which put them up 4-1 in the series. Babar scored 107 (117), his 18th century in one-day internationals, to assist the home team in reaching 334/6.
Despite the dismal conclusion to Ireland’s Super League campaign, the young prodigy, who is now 23 years old, continues to demonstrate that he is both the present and the future of Ireland’s squad.
Tector batted well in the second one-day international against Bangladesh, smashing a career-best 140 from only 113 balls with seven fours and an incredible 10 sixes. He had reached 21* before the rain started falling during the first one-day international, which took place in Chelmsford.
Tector’s efforts were made even more astounding by the fact that when he stepped out to bat, his side was in a precarious position, with a score of 16/2 after the seventh over. However, by the time he was dismissed at the conclusion of the 42nd over, they had turned the match around.
Tector and George Dockrell (74 not out from 47 balls) drove Ireland to 319 in the 45-over innings; however, Bangladesh, mostly via fellow candidate Najmul Hossain Shanto, raced away with victory.
The Ireland hitter demonstrated his worth by scoring 45 runs off of 48 balls in the third one-day international between Ireland and Bangladesh.