Harmar Claims November Honour, Edging Taijul’s Stellar Spell

South Africa’s experienced off-spinner Simon Harmar has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for November, narrowly surpassing Bangladesh’s Taijul Islam despite the latter’s outstanding performances against Ireland. The announcement underlines South Africa’s growing influence in world cricket, marking the second consecutive month in which a Proteas cricketer has claimed the prestigious accolade.

Taijul Islam enjoyed a memorable November, particularly in the two-Test series against Ireland. The left-arm spinner collected an impressive 13 wickets across the matches, playing a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s dominance. More significantly, his haul propelled him past Shakib Al Hasan to become Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket — a landmark achievement in itself. Such feats duly earned Taijul a place on the ICC’s shortlist for the monthly award, raising hopes of individual recognition to match his historic milestone.

However, the final honour went to Simon Harmar, whose influence proved decisive in South Africa’s remarkable success on Indian soil. At 36, Harmar produced a masterclass in spin bowling during a two-Test series in India, where South Africa achieved their first series victory in the country in 25 years. Even more impressively, the Proteas completed a clean sweep, defeating India 2–0.

Harmar’s figures were exceptional. He claimed 17 wickets across the two matches at a remarkable average of 8.94, consistently troubling India’s formidable batting line-up. His control, subtle variations, and relentless accuracy were instrumental in dismantling the hosts, earning him widespread acclaim and ultimately the ICC’s nod for November.

The shortlist for the men’s award also featured Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, who delivered a series of solid all-round contributions during the month, though he fell short of matching the match-winning impact of Harmar.

South Africa’s dominance extended beyond the men’s category. In October, all-rounder Senuran Muthusamy had already secured the Player of the Month award, highlighting a sustained period of excellence for South African cricketers across formats.

In the women’s category, India’s Shefali Verma was crowned ICC Women’s Player of the Month for November. The young star, part of India’s World Cup-winning squad, played a decisive role in the final against South Africa, scoring a fluent 87 from 78 deliveries. Drafted into the squad following Pratika Rawal’s injury, Shefali seized her opportunity with maturity beyond her years, steering India to a memorable triumph. She finished ahead of Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong and the UAE’s Esha Oza.

ICC Men’s Player of the Month – November (Nominees)

ICC Women’s Player of the Month – November

November, therefore, belonged to seasoned excellence and youthful brilliance alike — Harmar’s spin mastery and Shefali’s fearless batting standing as fitting symbols of cricket’s enduring appeal across generations.