Chapman, Jayasuriya, Fakhar nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award.

DUBAI: New Zealand batter Mark Chapman, Sri Lanka spinner Prabath Jayasuriya and Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman have been nominated for ICC Men’s Player of the Month award.

Though Chapman had a modest start to April, he top-scored for the tourists in the opening T20I, and went on to score 256 further runs throughout the T20I series against Pakistan without losing his wicket. But he saved his most emphatic performance until the final match, where his scintillating 104 not out from just 57 balls helped New Zealand get the five-game series tied.

Jayasuriya had won the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award back in July 2022 for his outstanding displays with the spinning ball in the Test arena. The left-arm spinner took ten wickets in the first Test against Ireland at Galle, including seven for 52 in the first innings as the hosts won convincingly.

He then took seven wickets across both innings in the second Test, including another five-wicket haul and helping him become the fastest spinner to reach 50 Test wickets in the history of the game during the second innings, a record achieved in just seven Tests.

On the other hand, Zaman had a quiet time in the T20I series against New Zealand, but changed gears in the ODI series. Chasing 289 in the series opener, the left-handed opener stitched a 124-run stand with Imam-ul-Haq, and eventually a five-wicket victory thanks to his controlled innings of 117 from 114 balls.

With an even more imposing target of 337 for victory in the second ODI, Zaman once again dominated the visiting bowlers, establishing big partnerships at the top of the order on his way to a memorable 180 not out, allowing Pakistan to record their second highest ever successful ODI chase at a canter. IANS

Also Read: Prabath Jayasuriya rises to career-best 19th place in ICC Men’s Test Bowler Rankings

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