ICC Men’s Player of the Month nominees for November 2023 announced

Travis Head (Australia)

Australia’s batting sensation Travis Head celebrated his return to the set-up after a long injury break at the end of October with a stunning hundred against New Zealand and continued his rich vein of form during November. 

In November, he amassed 220 runs in five ODIs at an impressive average of 44, featuring both a half-century and a century. Notably, his standout performances in the Cricket World Cup semi-final and final, where he clinched the Player of the Match awards and played a pivotal role in Australia securing their sixth trophy.

In the semi-final, he also made an impact with the ball by derailing the South Africa innings rebuild, claiming two crucial wickets of Heinrich Klaasen and Marco Jansen. This helped restrict the Proteas to a modest total, which was overhauled in a tense chase, yet again led by a scintillating 62 from 48 by Head.

In the final against India, he smashed a brilliant 137 from 120 balls to help Australia win the game by six wickets. Australia’s innings was in the doldrums at one stage, being reduced to 47/3 in pursuit of 241. However, Head kept his cool and took off during the middle overs. His special knock was studded with 15 fours and four sixes.

Apart from his ODI run, the batter hit an 18-ball 35 in Australia’s five-wicket win over India in the third T20I of the recently concluded five-match series which India claimed 4-1.

Glenn Maxwell (Australia)

Glenn Maxwell amassed 204 runs at an average of 204 with a strike rate of 152.23 in his three ODI outings last month, along with two wickets. In two T20Is in the series against India, he made 116 runs at an impressive strike rate of 207.14.

A golfing mishap had led to Maxwell’s absence from Australia’s match against England at the Cricket World Cup at the beginning of the month, but the all-rounder returned in style against Afghanistan.

He dismissed Rahmat Shah with the ball, to finish with 1/55. However, Afghanistan’s total of 291/5 seemed far out of reach after Australia slipped from 43/1 to 91/7. Maxwell took charge thereafter, and despite battling severe cramps, hit a splendid 201 from 128 – one of the greatest ODI knocks. He hit 21 fours and 10 sixes during the record innings.

His double hundred was the first by an Australian in Men’s ODIs and the second-fastest double ton ever. It was also the first time a double century was scored in a chase. This was also the highest score from someone coming in at No.6 or lower.

He later featured in the T20I series against India, and helped Australia win the third T20I in Guwahati with a sensational hundred. His 104* came off merely 48 balls and included eight fours and eight sixes. It helped chase down India’s 223.

Mohammed Shami (India)

Mohammed Shami continued his golden run in the World Cup into November. He picked 15 wickets at an average of 12.06 with an economy rate of 5.68.

Overall, he finished as the leading wicket-taker of the 2023 Cricket World Cup, with 24 wickets to his name from merely seven innings.

His standout performances during the month include a sensational 5/18 against Sri Lanka at Wankhede. Already under pressure in a chase of 358, Shami’s arrival at the end of the first Powerplay rang the death knell for Sri Lanka. He ran through their middle and lower order in his five overs. 

A disciplined 2/18 helped in the demolition of South Africa at Eden Gardens. However, it was in the semi-final against New Zealand that the fast bowler stood out.

After conceding 397 in the first innings, the Black Caps were rocked early on by the new ball effort of Shami. However, Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson stood tall and kept their side in the hunt. As other India bowlers failed to find answers, Shami returned to strike on five more occasions to ensure an India win. He finished with 7/57 which is the best return for an India bowler in ODIs.