Muhammad Waseem is the first UAE cricketer to earn the ICC Player of the Month award

UAE captain Muhammad Waseem received well-deserved recognition for his exceptional batting performances by being named the International Cricket Council's player of the month for April.

Waseem was instrumental in leading the UAE to victory in the ACC Premier Cup in Oman. Last month, he played a crucial role by scoring a rapid century, securing the national team’s qualification for the Asia Cup.

In the T20 tournament final in Muscat, the UAE skipper scored an impressive 100 runs off 56 balls, helping his team achieve a total of 204-4 and defeating Oman by 55 runs.

This victory ensured the UAE's qualification for the Asia Cup next year. Waseem's performance was particularly remarkable as he started the tournament with a first-ball duck against Kuwait but then scored 65, 45, and 48 runs in subsequent matches.

Waseem became the first player from the UAE to win the ICC player of the month award, outpacing Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Namibia’s Gerhard Erasmus in the men's category.

"It is a great honor to win the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award. I am thrilled to join a distinguished list of award winners from around the world," Waseem told the ICC's website.

“This award is a significant motivation for players, especially those from emerging cricket teams like the UAE. Our goal in the ACC Premier Cup in Oman was to qualify for next year's Asia Cup, and I am proud of my team's performance in the tournament.

“On a personal level, I am happy to have led the team from the front, especially in the final. Scoring a century in a big game is indeed a special moment, especially when it helps the team to victory. I look forward to our preparations for the Asia Cup and aim to continue delivering for the team and leading by example in these exciting times for UAE cricket.”

The UAE's success marks a significant turnaround after heavy defeats to Scotland and Canada before the ACC triumph.

“I was new then, but we have really worked hard, and I think the results are starting to show,” UAE coach Lalchand Rajput said last month.

“We had a 20-day camp before coming here. Our batting has improved, and our bowling has been effective. We have worked hard on our skill levels.”