Shakib wins 2nd ICC Player of the Month award

Shakib Al Hasan was named the ICC player of the month for MarchShamsul Hoque

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has been named the ICC Player of the Month for the month for March, announced ICC in a press release on Wednesday.

Shakib was shortlisted alongside New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and UAE’s Asif Khan for the prize. But the jury chose the maverick Bangladesh all-rounder as the winner.

This is the second time the Bangladesh Test and Twenty20 skipper has won this accolade. He last won it in July 2021. Mushfiqur Rahim is the other Bangladesh men’s cricketer to win the prize (May 2021).

“I am honoured to win the award and would like to thank the expert panellists who have voted for me,” Shakib was quoted in the press release.

“This is a recognition I greatly value because there are so many special performances in a month from a number of amazing cricketers,” he added.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan
Shamsul Hoque

Shakib won this award on the back of leading Bangladesh to a 3-0 clean sweep over England in a T20 series at home.

The left-hander then also led Bangladesh to a 2-1 T20 series win over Ireland and played a crucial role in a 3-0 sweep in the One-Day International (ODI) series against the same opponents.

In this period, Shakib scored 353 runs and took 15 wickets in 12 matches across three formats.

Bangladesh team celebrate after clean sweeping England in the three-match T20 series in Dhaka on 14 March 2023
Shamsul Hoque

Out of all of these achievements, Shakib placed the series sweep over the current T20 World Champions as the biggest achievement.

“If I was to pick my highlight from the past month, it has to be the T20 series sweep against England and, with the team continuing to perform beautifully as a unit in all departments, it is easier for me now to concentrate on my role and contribute,” Shakib said.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old all-rounder from Rwanda Henriette Ishimwe was named the women’s player of the month for March.