Pakistan spinner Noman Ali has been named as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for October 2024, edging out South African pacer Kagiso Rabada and New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner to claim the honor.

The 37-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler played an important role in Pakistan’s thrilling 2-1 Test series over England on home soil.

Noman’s outstanding performances across the series saw him take 20 wickets at an impressive average of 13.85, helping Pakistan secure their first Test series win at home since 2021.

“It is a great honour to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month,” Noman said in a statement.

“I am deeply grateful to my teammates who supported me throughout this historic home Test series victory against England. Such wins are always special for the team and the country.”

Noman’s heroics were highlighted by two remarkable Test performances. In the second Test, with Pakistan defending a target of 297, he claimed his career-best figures of 8/46, dismantling England’s batting lineup and securing Pakistan’s victory.

In the series-deciding third Test in Rawalpindi, Noman made a critical contribution with the bat, scoring a resilient 45 runs at No.9 to give Pakistan a 77-run first-innings lead.

He followed this with a match-winning six-wicket haul, bowling England out for just 112 to seal the series with a dominant nine-wicket win.

Noman is the first Pakistani male cricketer to win the ICC Player of the Month award since Babar Azam in August 2023.

South African paceman Kagiso Rabada claimed a record-setting 300th test wicket as Bangladesh were bowled out for 106 in their opening innings on the first day of the first test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on Monday.

Rabada became the fastest to 300 test wickets, achieving the feat in 11,187 balls, and with a strike rate of 39.39, to break former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis’ record of 12,602 balls.

South Africa were 140-6 in reply when bad light stopped play, with a 34-run lead after a day of attrition for batsmen as a total of 16 wickets fell.

Kyle Verreynne (18 not out) and Wiaan Mulder (17 not out) will resume on Tuesday.

All-rounder Mulder took the first three wickets early in the opening session to leave Bangladesh, who had won the toss and elected to bat, reeling at 21-3 before Rabada bowled Mushfiqur Rahim to reach the milestone.

His 300th wicket came in his 65th test. Only five other South African bowlers have taken 300 or more test wickets, with Dale Steyn’s 439 topping the list.

The 29-year-old Rabada, who has a test bowling average of 22, then had Litton Das expertly caught in the slips by Tristan Stubbs’ flying effort as Bangladesh slumped further and went to lunch 60-6.

South Africa took 14 overs after lunch to skittle out Bangladesh, whose opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy top scored with 30 before being the seventh wicket to fall.It was the second lowest total at the venue, after the 87 that Bangladesh scored when they lost by an innings and eight runs to Pakistan in December 2021.

Rabada finished with figures of 3-26, Mulder 3-22 and spinner Keshav Maharaj 3-34 with Dane Piedt taking the other wicket when he bowled Mahmudul at the start of the second session.

Taijul Islam took 5-49 in South Africa’s reply, passing the 200-test wicket mark as the visitors struggled to settle under the home spin attack.Tony de Zorzi (30), Ryan Rickelton (27) and Stubbs (23) all threatened to get going but Taijul had them all caught behind off his turning deliveries.

South Africa’s reply started poorly with stand-in captain Aiden Markram playing on to Hasan Mahmud and being dismissed for six at the end of the first over.

The test in Dhaka is the first of a two-match series with the second in Chittagong next week.