ICC Men's Player of the Month nominees for April 2025 announced

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for April 2025, with standout performances from players representing Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and New Zealand.

Leading the list is Blessing Muzarabani, the tall fast bowler from Zimbabwe, who played a key role in his team's Test series against Bangladesh. The 28-year-old impressed everyone with his pace and sharp bowling.

In the first Test in Sylhet, Muzarabani picked up 3 wickets for 50 runs in the first innings, including the crucial wicket of Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto. He went on to dominate the second innings with a brilliant spell of 6 for 72, helping Zimbabwe to a thrilling three-wicket win. His efforts earned him the Player of the Match award.

Across the two-match series, Muzarabani ended as Zimbabwe’s top wicket-taker, claiming 10 wickets at an average of 20.50.

Also nominated is Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the reliable all-rounder from Bangladesh. The 27-year-old had an excellent series with both bat and ball.

In the first Test, Miraz took 5 for 52 in the first innings and 5 for 50 in the second, keeping Bangladesh competitive despite the defeat. He truly shined in the second Test in Chattogram, where he scored a brilliant century (104 off 162 balls) after Zimbabwe were bowled out cheaply.

Miraz followed up with another strong bowling display, grabbing 5 wickets for 32 runs in the second innings to lead Bangladesh to a big innings-and-106-run victory, leveling the series 1-1.

By the end of April, Miraz had scored 116 runs at an average of 38.66 and taken 15 wickets at an average of 11.86, making him one of the top all-round performers of the month.

The third nominee is New Zealand pacer Ben Sears, who starred in the ODI series against Pakistan. The 27-year-old was in sensational form, taking back-to-back five-wicket hauls in the final two matches of the three-match series. In the second ODI in Hamilton, he tore through Pakistan’s middle order, dismissing key batters like Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha to finish with figures of 5 for 59. His performance helped New Zealand win by 84 runs and secure the series.

In the final ODI at Mount Maunganui, Sears continued his fine form, taking 5 for 34 in nine overs to lead New Zealand to a 43-run win and a 3-0 series sweep. He was named Player of the Series for taking 10 wickets at an average of 9.30 and an economy rate of 5.07, rounding off a brilliant month.