ICC unveils Women's Player of the Month nominees for May
New Delhi, June 10
The International Cricket Council has announced the nominees for the Women's Player of the Month award for May 2026, with Pakistan's Gull Feroza, England's Lauren Bell and New Zealand's Maddy Green making the shortlist after strong performances across recent international series.
Gull Feroza was in excellent form for Pakistan during their ODI series against Zimbabwe. The right-handed opener scored 256 runs in three matches at an impressive average of 128.00 and a strike rate of 103.64.
She started the series with a composed half-century before producing back-to-back centuries -- 100 and an unbeaten 106, to help Pakistan secure a 3-0 clean sweep. Her performances earned her the Player of the Series award.
Feroza also made an impact in the T20Is, scoring 82 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 157.69. Her standout knocks included a quick 37 off 19 balls against Zimbabwe and a rapid 32 off 15 deliveries against Ireland.
Lauren Bell, on the other hand, was in impressive form for England across formats. The fast bowler finished as the leading wicket-taker in England's ODI series against New Zealand, returning figures of 2/38 in the opening match and 3/20 in the third ODI. Across the two games, she took five wickets at an average of 13.40 and an economy rate of 4.36.
She carried that momentum into the following T20I series against New Zealand and India, where she picked up eight wickets in four matches at an average of 14.00 and an economy rate of 7.00.
Her standout spells included 2/23 in the opening T20I against New Zealand and 3/34 in the first T20I against India at Chelmsford, highlighting her growing importance in England's bowling attack ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026.
Maddy Green (New Zealand)
Maddy Green had a strong tour of England, delivering consistent performances across both ODIs and T20Is for New Zealand. In the ODI series, she scored 125 runs in two innings at an average of 62.50 and a strike rate of 83.33.
She played a key role with a composed 88 off 107 balls in the opening ODI, followed by a quick 37 off 43 deliveries in the third match. Her efforts earned her the Player of the Series award.
Green continued her good form in the T20I series, scoring 93 runs in three matches at an average of 46.50 and a strike rate of 98.93. Her best knock came in the second T20I, where she struck an unbeaten 56 off 48 balls.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Happy to see Asian representation on the list! Though I wish we had an Indian nominee too - Smriti Mandhana or Harmanpreet Kaur would have been great contenders. But credit where it's due, Feroza has been phenomenal. Pakistan women's cricket is on the rise and it's great for the region. 👏
Lauren Bell's economy rate of 4.36 in ODIs and 7.00 in T20Is is brilliant for a fast bowler. England have built a really solid pace attack. But honestly, Maddy Green's consistency across both formats for NZ deserves more praise - 88 in the ODI and unbeaten 56 in T20I shows real temperament. All three are worthy contenders.
As an Indian fan, I'm slightly disappointed we don't have a player in the running this month. But this is exactly what women's cricket needs - more competition from all nations. Gull Feroza's strike rate of 103 in ODIs and 157 in T20Is shows she can adapt to any format. Would love to see her play against India soon! 🇮🇳🇵🇰
Honestly, the ICC needs to do a better job promoting these awards in India. Most fans don't even know about the women's player of the month. But looking at the stats, Gull Feroza deserves it hands down - that 106* after scoring a century the previous match shows incredible consistency. What a month for Pakistan cricket! ⭐
Great to see women's cricket getting more recognition! Maddy Green's knock of 88 off 107 in the ODI
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.