DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the nominees for the Men’s Player of the Month award. Among the shortlisted players is Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, who earned the nomination based on his stellar performances in October.

Haris is joined by two other nominees:  Jasprit Bumrah from India, and  Marco Jansen from South Africa. This recognition highlights Haris Rauf’s outstanding contributions to Pakistan’s cricket during the month, as he continues to establish himself as a key player in international cricket. The final winner will be determined through a voting process conducted by fans and a panel of experts. Earlier, Pakistan’s fast bowler Haris Rauf put up a remarkable performance in the second ODI against Australia, claiming 5 wickets for just 29 runs in 8 overs.

This sensational display not only helped Pakistan gain a significant advantage in the match but also marked a key milestone in Rauf’s ODI career. Since making his debut on October 30, 2020, Haris Rauf, who rose to prominence through Lahore Qalandars’ player development program, had become a force to be reckoned with in world cricket. With his latest five-wicket haul, Rauf had taken 77 wickets in 39 matches, the most by any fast bowler from a full-member team during this period. The only bowler to surpass Rauf in terms of wickets taken since his debut was Oman’s Bilal Khan, with 83 wickets. However, it was worth noting that Oman was an ICC Associate Member team, and Rauf’s achievement stood out in the context of full-member nations. Rauf’s five-wicket haul also set another impressive record for Pakistan, as he held the record for the highest number of wickets by any Pakistani bowler in their first 39 ODIs.

He surpassed the tally of 76 wickets set by legendary spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and current fast bowler Shaheen Afridi. This milestone cemented Rauf’s place as one of the leading fast bowlers in contemporary cricket. Globally, Rauf’s achievements stacked up well against other fast bowlers. Australia’s Mitchell Starc, for example, had taken 79 wickets in his first 39 ODIs, while Bilal Khan from Oman led the pack with 83 wickets in the same number of matches