Noman Ali among ICC Player of the Month Award nominees for October

Pakistan’s spinner Noman Ali has been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month Award for October after his stellar performance in the recently concluded PAK v ENG Test series.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday revealed Men’s Player of the Month nominees for October, including Noman Ali, South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada, and New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner.

The 38-year-old Pakistan spinner played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s triumph over England in the three-match PAK v ENG Test series in Multan and Rawalpindi last month.

Noman Ali took an astounding 20 wickets at an average of 13.85 across the second and third Tests.

His stellar performance along with fellow spinner Sajid Khan helped Pakistan stage a remarkable comeback in the second Test after the home side faced a humiliating defeat in the first Test.

Pakistan went on to win the second and third Test to win the PAK v ENG series by 2-1.

During the second game of the series, Noman Ali wreaked havoc on the visitors’ line-up, returning with the figures of 8/46, his best in Test cricket.

In the series decider, the spinner showed his batting skills, scoring a crucial 45-run knock when Pakistan were reeling at 177/7.

He then picked up six wickets in England’s second innings, helping Pakistan bowl out the visitors for 112.

The other nominee for the ICC Player of the Month Award was South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada who reclaimed his top place at the ICC Men’s Test Bowlers rankings following his excellent performance in the Test series against Bangladesh.

Rabada picked up 14 wickets at an impressive average of 9.00, including two five-wicket haul in the Test series in Bangladesh.

New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner’s crucial contribution to his side’s historic series win earned him a nomination for the ICC award.

The spinner bagged two five-wicket hauls and his best-ever Test figures in the second IND v NZ Test.