Taijul And Mushfiqur Earn ICC Monthly Award Nominations

Bangladesh’s successful run in international cricket continued in 2026 as two of the team’s senior players, Taijul Islam and Mushfiqur Rahim, secured nominations for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s Player of the Month award for May. The nominations came after Bangladesh completed a historic Test series whitewash against Pakistan, a result that marked another significant achievement for the national side.

According to an ICC media release issued today, three cricketers have been shortlisted for the monthly award. Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam and Mushfiqur Rahim are among the nominees, while Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee completes the three-player shortlist.

The nominations reflect the performances delivered during May, a month in which Bangladesh played only the two-match Test series against Pakistan. Both Taijul and Mushfiqur played central roles in Bangladesh’s success as the team secured a clean sweep over their opponents.

For Bangladesh, defeating Pakistan in a Test series had once been considered a difficult challenge. However, the team not only won the series but also completed a whitewash, underlining their progress in the longest format of the game. The result followed Bangladesh’s victories in two One-Day International series earlier in the year, contributing to what has been a highly successful period for the national team.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the series. He claimed 13 wickets across the two Tests, the highest tally by any bowler in the contest. His most influential performance came in the second Test in Sylhet, where he took six wickets for 120 runs in Pakistan’s second innings. That spell played a decisive role in ending Pakistan’s resistance and helping Bangladesh secure victory.

Mushfiqur Rahim was equally influential with the bat. The experienced batter finished the series as the highest run-scorer, accumulating 253 runs and earning the Player of the Series award. Across the two-Test contest, he averaged 63.25 and provided stability to Bangladesh’s batting line-up.

A major highlight of Mushfiqur’s series came during the second innings of the Sylhet Test, where he scored 137 runs. The innings enabled him to register his 14th Test century, setting a new Bangladesh record for the most Test hundreds by a Bangladeshi batter. His contribution was instrumental in helping Bangladesh build commanding positions during the series.

The third nominee, Nepal captain Dipendra Singh Airee, also produced impressive performances during May. He featured in seven international matches, including six One-Day Internationals and one Twenty20 International.

Airee excelled in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 competition. During the month, he scored 249 runs in six ODIs at an average of 49.80 and a strike rate of 110.66. His batting included a century against the United Arab Emirates. In addition to his contributions with the bat, Airee also claimed eight wickets, making him one of Nepal’s standout performers during the period under review.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh have continued their positive momentum in limited-overs cricket. In the opening ODI against Australia at Mirpur, Bangladesh secured an 86-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after rain affected the match. The result gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the series and moved them closer to a potential first-ever ODI series win against Australia.

The second ODI between Bangladesh and Australia is scheduled to take place in Mirpur tomorrow, while the third and final ODI will be played on 14 June. Following the ODI series, both teams will travel to Chattogram for a three-match Twenty20 International series. The T20Is are scheduled for 17, 19 and 21 June at the Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium.

With Bangladesh enjoying success across formats and two of its most experienced performers receiving ICC recognition, the team’s achievements during May have been reflected both in results on the field and in individual accolades at the international level.