England’s expansion of the international calendar and an intense run-up to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 have produced plenty of form lines to monitor, and the ICC’s Player of the Month shortlist for May reflects that momentum.
Three players, two in magnificent batting nick and one incisive pace bowler, have been nominated after a month in which they carried their teams with match-defining contributions. With the global showpiece in England and Wales starting on 12 June (expanded to 12 teams this edition), these performances not only underline individual excellence but also offer early indicators of form and selection narratives as teams finalise preparations. South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt took April’s award; now all eyes turn to who will claim the honour for May.
Gull Feroza (Pakistan)
Gull Feroza produced a dominant spell with the bat during Pakistan’s ODI series against Zimbabwe, finishing May with 256 runs from three ODIs at a jaw-dropping average of 128.00 and a strike rate of 103.64. After a well-compiled half-century in the series opener, Feroza elevated her output with a century and an unbeaten 106 in the remaining matches, performances that were central to Pakistan completing a 3–0 sweep and earned her the Player of the Series award.
Feroza’s potency carried into the T20Is as well, where she scored 82 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 157.69, including a blistering 37 off 19 balls against Zimbabwe and a quickfire 32 off 15 versus Ireland, showing she can accelerate and anchor as the situation demands. Her blend of timing, composure and increasing power makes her a growing threat across formats and a player to watch heading into the T20 World Cup.
Lauren Bell (England)
Lauren Bell cemented her status as a frontline seamer for England with consistent wicket-taking in both ODIs and T20Is in May. She finished as England’s leading wicket-taker in the ODI series against New Zealand, returning five wickets across the two matches, including figures of 2/38 in the opener and a searing 3/20 in the third ODI, at an average of 13.40 and an economy of 4.36. Bell carried that rhythm into the T20Is that followed, claiming eight wickets from four games at an average of 14 and an economy rate of 7.00.
Standout displays included 2/23 in the first T20I against New Zealand and 3/34 in the opening T20I against India at Chelmsford, performances that underline her ability to make early inroads and maintain pressure in the powerplay and middle overs. With the World Cup set to be staged on home soil, Bell’s form is a timely reinforcement for England’s pace battery and selection plans.
Maddy Green (New Zealand)
Maddy Green enjoyed a richly productive tour of England, providing stability and tempo at the top of New Zealand’s order across formats. In the ODI series, she aggregated 125 runs from two innings at an average of 62.50 and a strike rate of 83.33, anchoring the innings with a patient and pivotal 88 off 107 balls in the opener, followed by a brisk 37 in the third match, performances that won her the Player of the Series award.
Maddy Green’s influence continued into the T20Is, where she scored 93 runs in three matches at an average of 46.50 and a strike rate of 98.93; her highlight was an unbeaten 48-ball 56 in the second T20I. Green’s technique and temperament, the ability to both steady an innings and accelerate when required, make her nomination well deserved, and she will enter the T20 World Cup with the kind of form that gives New Zealand balance at the top.
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