India pacer Bumrah among nominees for ICC Player of the Month for Oct

DUBAI: India pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has been wreaking havoc in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023, has been nominated for ICC Men's Player of the Month Award for October 2023 with the South Africa opener Quinton de Kock and young gun from New Zealand Rachin Ravindra.

"The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday revealed the latest group of international superstars in contention to win the ICC Player of the Month awards following an action-packed month of cricket in October," ICC said in a statement.

India speedster Bumrah was at his destructive best with the ball in the opening stages of CWC23, claiming a slew of crucial wickets to fuel India's unbeaten start to the competition.

India's frontline pacer was at the heart of their spectacular bowling displays as they opened their ICC Men's Cricket World Cup campaign in a destructive fashion.

He began his campaign with two wickets for 35 runs against Australia in Chennai, before blitzing Afghanistan for four wickets for 39 runs in Delhi.

This trend continued spectacularly, with the seamer collecting two for 19 in a Player of the Match performance against rivals Pakistan in Ahmedabad, including the coveted wicket of Mohammad Rizwan with a beautiful slower ball. Bumrah grabbed 14 wickets at an average of 15.07 and had a remarkable economy of 3.91.

On the other hand, De Kock has already announced his retirement from one-day international cricket at the end of the Cricket World Cup, but his effect was as strong as ever during the Proteas' strong start to CWC23 in October.

Back-to-back century against Sri Lanka and Australia got him started in the tournament, and after failing in subsequent matches against the Netherlands and England, he hammered 174 against Bangladesh to get back on track.

De Kock's Player of the Month nomination is his first since June 2021, and he has a good case, having scored 431 runs at an average of 71.83.

Young batter from New Zealand Rachin Ravindra's lightning start to CWC23 took some by surprise, given that he had only played 12 ODIs prior to the start of the tournament, but the 23-year-old immediately grabbed the headlines with 123 in 96 balls as New Zealand secured a nine-wicket opening day victory over defending champions England.

Ravindra followed this outstanding performance with half-centuries against the Netherlands (51) and India (75), before finishing the month with a dazzling 116 against Australia. In October, he had 406 runs at an average of 81.20, earning him his first nomination.