Dubai, Nov 6 (NationPress) Three exceptional spinners - Rashid Khan, Noman Ali, and Senuran Muthusamy - have been nominated for the prestigious ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for October.

Left-arm spinners Noman from Pakistan and Muthusamy from South Africa earned their nominations after each contributing to a match victory for their respective teams in the two-match ICC World Test Championship series held in Pakistan, which ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Rashid was recognized for his outstanding performances in white-ball cricket.

The Afghan maestro showcased remarkable form throughout October, excelling in limited-overs series against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.

In the five T20 internationals he participated in, he took an impressive nine wickets at a phenomenal economy rate of 4.82. His standout performances included remarkable figures of 4/18 in the first T20I against Bangladesh and 3/9 in the second T20I against Zimbabwe.

However, his exceptional skills shone brightest during the ODI series against Bangladesh, where he played a crucial role in leading Afghanistan to a 3-0 series triumph. The 27-year-old achieved 11 wickets with a staggering economy of 2.73, presenting a formidable challenge for the Bangladeshi batsmen. He took three wickets each in the first and third ODIs, but his peak performance occurred in the second match, where he recorded astounding figures of 5/17.

Additionally, he added 24 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 171.42 in T20Is and nine runs in ODIs, rounding off a stellar month.

Muthusamy emerged as a key figure as South Africa drew their Test series against Pakistan, excelling in both batting and bowling, playing crucial roles in both ICC World Test Championship matches.

In the first Test, he achieved career-best figures of 11/174, capturing six wickets in the first innings and five in the second. Despite his remarkable performance, South Africa narrowly lost the match in Lahore by 93 runs.

In the second Test, Muthusamy’s batting skills shone through. He forged two significant lower-order partnerships with Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 89, marking his highest Test score thus far. This contribution proved crucial in securing a first-innings lead for South Africa and ultimately clinching the win.

Throughout the two Tests in October, Muthusamy accumulated 106 runs at an average of 53 and took 11 wickets at an impressive average of 18.36, earning him the well-deserved Player of the Series award.

Noman Ali continued his dominance in red-ball cricket with another brilliant series for Pakistan. The No. 3-ranked ICC Men's Test Bowler showcased his skills once again, claiming 14 wickets at an impressive average of 23.07 in the two-Test series against South Africa.

In the first Test in Lahore, he achieved his third 10-wicket haul in Test cricket, achieving figures of 6/112 in the first innings and 4/79 in the second. His exceptional performance was pivotal in helping Pakistan secure a victory in the first Test by 93 runs.

In the Rawalpindi Test, Noman remained steadfast, taking a total of four wickets and contributing 17 runs with the bat. His efforts made him the highest wicket-taker in the series.