England fast bowler Lauren Bell and Bangladesh batter Mushfiqur Rahim have been named ICC Players of the Month for May. Both players had outstanding performances that contributed significantly to their teams’ successes last month.
Bell secured her first ICC monthly award by finishing ahead of New Zealand’s Maddy Green and Pakistan’s Gull Feroza. She was the standout player for England, helping them achieve victories in two T20I series at home against New Zealand and India.
In May, Bell took eight wickets for the Lionesses at an economy rate of 7, with her top performance being against India in Chelmsford, where she recorded figures of 3 for 34. She is now part of England’s squad for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.
“I’m delighted to win this award. Performing well in front of home crowds is always fun and satisfying. Playing for England is a great honour, and I’m proud to contribute to our team! Women’s Cricket is growing rapidly, and the fantastic crowds at the Women’s T20 World Cup really show that progress. The support from fans has been amazing, and I hope to give them more to cheer about in the coming weeks,” said Lauren Bell, as reported by ICC.
Mushfiqur Rahim named Men’s Player of the Month for May
Former Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim has been honored as the ICC’s Men’s Player of the Month for May after strong performances during his team’s two-match Test series at home against Pakistan, which Bangladesh won 2-0.
Rahim, 39, scored 253 runs in the series with an average of 63.25. This included a century in the second Test match in Sylhet, where he scored 137 runs in the second innings, marking his 14th Test century.
It’s noteworthy that Rahim had previously won the ICC Player of the Month award in May 2021. Five years later, he surpassed his teammate Taijul Islam and Nepal all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee to earn this recognition.
“It is a great honour to be named ICC Player of the Month again, and I am especially pleased that this recognition is for my Test cricket performances. My teammate Taijul also played a significant role in our memorable series win over Pakistan, which we will cherish for a long time. Our victory has improved our ranking in the ICC World Test Championship standings, making this achievement even more significant for the team. I am grateful to my teammates and support staff for their support and look forward to contributing further to Bangladesh’s success,” Rahim said on the ICC website.