Hasan Mahmud, Hero of Australia Victory, in the Race for ICC Mens Player of the Month

The man who tore through Australia’s fortress by producing a fiery spell of fast bowling on Darwin’s green pitch could now add another global accolade to his growing list of achievements. Hasan Mahmud, who has recently continued to impress with his bowling in the English County Championship, has earned a place on a prestigious list released by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The emerging Bangladeshi pacer has been named one of the three finalists for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for August 2026, based on performances in international cricket during the month.

Hasan’s two main competitors for the global honour are Sri Lanka’s emerging batter Sonal Dinusha and experienced England fast bowler Ollie Robinson.

Hasan was the key architect behind Bangladesh’s historic first Test victory on Australian soil. In the memorable Test in Darwin, he dismantled the hosts’ batting lineup with a sensational six-wicket haul for 55 runs in the first innings. He followed that up with another three wickets for 56 runs in the second innings. Across the two-Test series, the pace star claimed nine wickets at an average of 19.77, etching his name into Bangladesh’s cricketing history.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan star Sonal Dinusha was equally destructive with the bat. The left-handed batter finished as the leading run-scorer in Sri Lanka’s two-Test series against India, accumulating 420 runs at an average of 140. His tally included two outstanding centuries in consecutive Tests—103 and an unbeaten 133*.

On the other hand, England pacer Ollie Robinson produced a devastating performance with the ball against Pakistan on home soil. He finished the entire series with 16 wickets at an exceptional average of just 7.18.