England have never boasted stronger competition for places than at the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament, according to Three Lions winger Anthony Gordon.

The Newcastle United forward will feature at his first major tournament with Gareth Southgate's senior side, who start their campaign against Serbia on Sunday.

Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze are all other wide options as Southgate prepares to choose between a wealth of attacking riches on the wings.

Gordon believes England have rarely enjoyed such a depth of talent, heading into the tournament in Germany where they are seen as favourites alongside France.

"A few people have said it where the squad has never been so competitive in terms of everyone is in form and everyone has come here in a really good place," he said.

"There is definitely competition for places. Everyone is going to be at their best to try and play."

Manchester City defender John Stones offered cause for concern after an injury during Friday's surprise 1-0 defeat against Iceland, though was involved in training ahead of England's opener in Gelsenkirchen.

Luke Shaw also featured in the pre-tournament session but the Manchester United full-back will be managed closely as his recovery from a hamstring issue continues.

"I was a bit worried when [Stones] went down [against Iceland] because he's such a big player for us but he's fine," Gordon added. "He's got an elite mentality, so I've had faith in him.

"[Shaw] is back in training now and doing really well. I did a bit of my rehab with him and he was way far ahead of schedule. He was doing great, which is good."

Southgate hit the headlines on Monday after suggesting the European Championship marked his "last chance" as England manager.

Yet Gordon hopes the England boss continues his tenure past when his current contract is due to end in December.

"From a selfish point I would want him to stay," he continued. "I love working with him and his staff.

"From my youth journey with England, the way they have transitioned the whole set-up from youth to senior level has been absolutely amazing and I don't think they get the credit he deserves."

England must "earn the right" to start thinking about T20 World Cup permutations, says Jos Buttler, whose side face a humiliating early exit in the group stage.

Matthew Mott's white-ball  were defeated by Australia on Saturday, with their 36-run loss leaving them staring at a group-stage elimination in their T20I title defence.

That result was compounded by Scotland's thrashing of Oman with 41 balls to spare as England suffered another blow to their hopes of progressing via net run-rate.

Another must-win match against Oman looms on Thursday, where England have to triumph before any other calculations of permutations can begin, says captain Buttler.

"I don't think it's s**t or bust quite yet," Buttler told reporters in Antigua. "I think it's quite clear what we need to do and how we need to play.

"First and foremost, we need to win the game against Oman to have any chance going forward into the next one.

"So we have to earn the right to try and win the game. And if we can get ourselves in a position to affect our net run-rate, obviously that's what we need to do."

England then face Namibia on Saturday to round off their group-stage campaign, though two victories for Buttler's side may still not be enough.

Scotland could still knock them out by beating Australia in their final match after England meet Namibia, when the Scots will have an advantage of a clear picture of what is required.

"We've looked at a few little bits but it's going to be ever-changing throughout the game," Buttler added.

"I don't think we need to consume too much energy today and tomorrow saying 'we need to score 'X' amount of runs or win by this much'. I think those kinds of things will develop on the day.

"That's the situation we find ourselves in, so we have to be aware of that, but not be consumed by that.

"If we try and do that bit first and forget about trying to win the game and lose, then you've got no chance anyway.

"So I'd rather have some kind of chance going into the last game, and know exactly what we need to."

England's white-ball struggles at the tournament have raised questions about Buttler's captaincy and coach Mott's tenure.

Buttler has no interest in the speculation surrounding his stewardship, however.

"I care more about the team than the media and the outside noise," he added. "That's always there, it's part of international sport. If you get to this level, you have to be able to deal with it, the job you guys do, that's the job TV does.

"It's probably harder to completely ignore it in this day and age, but there's a level of acceptance. Our focus has to be on what we can do with our performance.

"I've played the game long enough now to know that it's very good at building people up and pretty good at criticising when it doesn't go right, especially in England.

"I do the same thing when I'm watching a game of football or rugby – 'how's he missed that from there?' 'How did he miss from one-yard out', or 'someone's dropped the ball over the line'. Simple things like that.

"People care. That's why we're able to do what we do because people care and they want to watch. We're a proud team, we want to perform really well for all the fans.

"But to be honest, all the focus is on us and how well we can play. If we play as well as we can, we'll make our fans happy."

England are "incredibly strong" and "definitely good enough to go all the way" at Euro 2024, insists former Three Lions goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Gareth Southgate's side, who were runners-up to Italy at the delayed Euro 2020, are among the favourites to go one better and lift the Henri Delaunay trophy in Germany this year, and there is envious quality within their ranks.

Jude Bellingham played a starring role during his debut season with Real Madrid, with Harry Kane following suit at Bayern Munich, while Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones are fresh from winning a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title with Manchester City.

Hart, who recently announced his retirement from professional football, represented England at two European Championships in 2012 and 2016, playing alongside the likes of Kane, Walker and Stones at the latter.

The ex-Man City and Celtic stopper briefly featured for the Three Lions during the early stages of Southgate's tenure, which began in September 2016, and he talked up the nation's chances to BBC Sport.

"I know a lot of our players well from my time with the squad," said Hart, whose tally of 75 caps is only bettered by Peter Shilton (125) among England goalkeepers. "They are top-class players who will have a huge say in how we do this time.

"I feel like [Southgate's] confidence has increased a lot since my time with the squad. He's had success at the past two tournaments... and it also seems like everyone loves playing under him, which is so important.

"For everything that is talked about by people outside the squad, it is what happens in the camp that really matters, and Gareth has built an environment where they will feel safe and will be very focused.

"It looks like the manager and players understand each other and what it takes to go the distance, so they will be able to put themselves in the best position to execute all the planning and hard work that they have already put in.

"England are definitely good enough to go all the way in Germany. If you look at all the squads, then along with France, we are incredibly strong.

"But I know what goes into winning a tournament, and it is not quite as simple as just having the best players, so we will have to see how it plays out."

Gareth Southgate admits Euro 2024 could be his "last chance" with England at a major tournament if they do not win it.

Southgate took over as the interim manager of England in September 2017 before being offered the permanent role two months later.

Since then, he has taken the Three Lions to the semi-final and quarter-final of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022 respectively, while they finished as runners-up to Italy in Euro 2020 on home soil.

Southgate's squad travelled to Germany on Monday ahead of their tournament opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.

England are among the favourites to win the tournament, and Southgate, whose contract expires at the end of this year, was realistic about what an unsuccessful result at Euro 2024 could mean for his future.

"If we don't win, I probably won't be here anymore. It might be the last chance," he said.

"I think about half of the national coaches leave after a tournament – that's the nature of international football.

"I’ve been here for almost eight years now and we've come close so I know that you can't keep standing in front of the public and saying, 'please do a little more', because at some point, people will lose faith in your message.

"If we want to be a big team and I want to be a top coach, then you have to deliver in the big moments."

Following their game against Serbia, England will also face Denmark and Slovenia in Group C.

England coach Steve Borthwick has named six uncapped players in his squad for their summer internationals against Japan and New Zealand. 

England face Japan in Tokyo on June 21 in their first outing since the Six Nations, then take on the All Blacks on July 6 and July 13.

Harlequins prop Fin Baxter and centre Luke Northmore, Sale pair Joe Carpenter and Tom Roebuck, Bristol's Gabriel Oghre and Northampton's Ollie Sleightholme are all included.

Having named a 36-man squad, England will train at Twickenham on Tuesday before flying out to Japan to prepare for their opening Test.

"The Summer Series presents a valuable opportunity for the continued development of this squad and is a demanding challenge to conclude the season," Borthwick said.

"The National Stadium in Tokyo is an incredible venue for Test match rugby, and we will need to be at our very best against a Japanese team who will want to play fast.

"New Zealand's home record is well documented, and we face a team who came within one point of winning a World Cup.

"The players know that they will need to be mentally strong and tactically smart if we are to get the result we want."

Full England squad: Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Alex Coles, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ben Curry, Tom Curry, Theo Dan, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Charlie Ewels, Jamie George (c), Joe Heyes, Maro Itoje, Joe Marler, George Martin, Gabriel Oghre, Bevan Rodd, Ethan Roots, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill, Joe Carpenter, Fraser Dingwall, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Ollie Lawrence, Alex Mitchell, Luke Northmore, Harry Randall, Tom Roebuck, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer, Freddie Steward.

Declan Rice is confident that England can do something really special at Euro 2024 as the team set off for Germany on Monday. 

The Arsenal midfielder was part of the side that fell short in the tournament three years ago against Italy at Wembley, and has since become a mainstay in the side under Gareth Southgate. 

This will be Rice's third international tournament for the Three Lions, and he believes that the current squad have what it takes to lift the trophy in Berlin on July 14. 

“We want to make history,” the 25-year-old said on England’s departure show on YouTube. “We say it all the time, but genuinely we have a group, a manager, that really believes.

“We have a confidence that we can go there and do something really special and, of course, with that comes hard work.

"That is going to be the main thing – the hard work as a team, unity, togetherness and with everyone behind us at home. We’re going to feel that for sure, so stick with us, be positive and let’s see what happens.”

England's preparations for the tournament concluded last week and head into their Group C opener with Serbia off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Iceland at Wembley. 

But Rice says the disappointment does not detract from what was a beneficial 10-day training camp, hoping to build on his impressive debut season with Arsenal. 

“It’s obviously difficult when you finish the league. Your body completely shuts down when you have a break, because we’re made to just play all the time,” 

“When we have a rest, our body shuts down and it’s hard to get going again. But last week was really beneficial, to be honest with you, I think for everyone.

“We’ve got another full week now until the game, so we’ll be in a really good spot.”

Harry Kane believes there is enough experience within England's ranks to triumph at Euro 2024 despite more than half of Gareth Southgate's squad yet to play in a major tournament for their country. 

The Three Lions travel to Germany this week ahead of their Group C opener against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on June 16, without a plethora of seasoned internationals that have played a key role in the side in recent years. 

Manchester United's Harry Maguire, who has 63 caps and has featured in the last three tournaments for England, was omitted from the 26-man squad having failed to recover from an injury. 

The likes of Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford and James Maddison also missed out, with Southgate opting for form over experience, as Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton and Anthony Gordon were some of the names included in the final group.

England captain Kane, who will lead his country out for a third major tournament in Germany, believes there is more than enough experience available to end their 58-year wait for an international trophy, insisting that every player included in the squad has earned the right to be there. 

"I think we have more than enough experience," Kane said. "Especially a lot of players who have played in two or three tournaments. There are always going to be new players, ­players who deserve to be here.

"For the boys who missed out ... It is sad to see them go but ultimately that is what you get playing for England. The manager has to take tough decisions.

"Everyone has earned the right to be here. That is what we have said. Everyone brings something ­different to the team and we are going to need all 26 players if we are going to be successful."

The 30-year-old struggled with a back injury towards the end of the season but returned to play in England's 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, scoring his 63rd goal for his country in the process, before playing just over an hour in the 1-0 defeat to Iceland at Wembley on Friday.

"I am all good," Kane said of his fitness. "The plan was for me to play 60 minutes against Iceland. It has been a really good camp for me personally in that sense.

"Getting a good week of ­training, 30 minutes (against Bosnia and Herzegovina), a few more days of training, then 60 minutes. I feel really prepared and in a good place."

Jos Buttler laid the challenge to his England charges to "dust ourselves down and go again" as his team face the possibility of an early exit from the T20 World Cup.

England lost by 36 runs to old foes Australia on Saturday in Bridgetown, leaving them fourth in Group B.

With second-place Scotland facing lowly Oman on Sunday, England are in real danger of slumping out of the tournament early.

And Buttler knows the task is now for reigning champions England to turn matters around in their next two group matches if they wish to go on and defend their title.

"We need to play with a lot of confidence," he said.

"It's all laid out what we need to do so we need to dust ourselves down and go again."

Buttler was England's highest scorer, with 42, as they finished on 165-6 from their 20 overs.

England's captain and fellow opener Phil Salt had started well when chasing down a target of 202, accumulating 73 without loss.

But Salt's dismissal by Adam Zampa, who then sent Buttler packing, was a blow from which England failed to recover.

"We did have a bright start. Outside the powerplay was always going to be the challenge, we saw that in their innings," Buttler said.

"Credit to Australia, Adam Zampa bowled very well and in the middle overs the pacers were very disciplined.

"I thought they came out with a lot of intent and played really well and put us under a lot of pressure straight away. It was tough to drag it back from there. They bowled really well in that middle phase, took wickets at regular times and defended really well.

"There is always hindsight and a lot of decisions you can change or do earlier. There were a couple of soft balls where we could have saved boundaries."

Jofra Archer took 1-28 and was the only England bowler to avoid significant damage, as he works his way back to form after an injury-hit couple of years.

"He bowled really well," Buttler said of the paceman. "It looks like he hasn't been away at all. He is a great bowler to call on as a captain. He's got so much variety and skill and we're lucky to have him back."

Zampa was named player of the match, taking 2-28. The spinner has taken at least one wicket in each of his last 12 innings at the T20 World Cup, including two in each of his last four matches.

"We've played against England a lot, so we know a lot about their players," he said.

"We've played here before and we knew about the long grease side. It was difficult to hit sixes out there and we made it our game plan.

"It is one of those places you don't know about until you bowl a few balls on, I was just keen to get some pace on and aim at the stumps.

"We have a great depth with our bowling attack. We all have different roles and you saw some of us bowling really defensively to stop runs."

Australia defeated England by 36 runs to leave Jos Buttler's side staring down the brink of an early exit from the T20 World Cup.

With their opening match against Scotland having yielded no result, England needed to beat Australia on Saturday to propel themselves into a strong position to progress from Group B.

Yet instead they now find themselves fourth in the group and in need of big wins over Oman and Namibia to stand a chance, while also hoping for a capitulation from Scotland, who are second.

Chasing a target of 202, England were trundling along nicely until Adam Zampa (2-28) dismissed openers Phil Salt (37) and Buttler (42) in the space of two overs.

Will Jacks did not last long as Australia severely dented England's run rate, with the further quickfire dismissals of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali all but ending England's chances.

And when Liam Livingstone was sent packing by Patrick Cummins late in the day, England knew their hopes of making it out of the group have suddenly turned bleak.

No player scored over 50 for either team, though David Warner (39), Mitchell Marsh (35) and Travis Head (34) were the leading lights for Australia with the bat.

Data Debrief: Aussies avoid four straight losses

Australia are now well placed to push on at the T20 World Cup, and getting one over their old rivals in the process is all the sweeter.

England had won six of their last seven completed T20Is against Australia, including their last three in a row, but Marsh's team pulled out the stops to avoid a fourth straight loss.

Zampa, meanwhile, just loves this tournament. He has taken at least one wicket in each of his last 12 innings at the T20 World Cup, including two in each of his last four innings.

Chris Jordan celebrated taking his 100th T20I wicket, but it proved fruitless. 

Gareth Southgate confirmed John Stones’ substitution against Iceland on Friday was precautionary after sparking injury concerns.

The Manchester City defender started England’s final warm-up game, partnering Marc Guehi in central defence.

However, he was taken off at half-time following a clash with an Iceland player, who landed awkwardly on Stones’ ankle.

"It was mainly precautionary," said Southgate.

"He took a bit of a knock to the ankle really early in the game, but at half-time, there was no point taking any chance. We're too close to the start of the tournament, there's no point risking it."

This comes after Harry Maguire was cut from the final 26-man squad after failing to recover from a calf issue that has kept him out since April.

Jarrad Branthwaite and Jarell Quansah were the other centre-backs to miss out, though the Liverpool man remained with the squad on standby.

England begin their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia in Group C on June 16. 

Declan Rice insists there are positives England can take from Friday's friendly loss to Iceland, also saying the result should not affect Kobbie Mainoo's chances of partnering him in midfield.

England were booed off as they lost their final Euro 2024 warm-up fixture 1-0 at Wembley Stadium, Jon Thorsteinsson's 12th-minute strike proving decisive.

Gareth Southgate's team managed just one shot on target as Iceland sat deep and invited pressure, with Harry Kane and Ivan Toney both fluffing their lines from promising positions.

It was their fewest shots on target in any game since a goalless draw with Scotland in the group stage at Euro 2020 (also one).

The Three Lions were also criticised for a lethargic performance on that occasion, only to reach the final of that tournament.

While Rice was disappointed with Friday's result, he is sure England will learn from their mistakes in time for Group C fixtures against Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia.

"I think when we have that much of the ball and have a couple of really clear-cut chances, and obviously getting beat 1-0 at home just before a Euros isn't ideal, but I am going to take the positives from it as well," Rice told Channel 4. 

"There were a lot of promising performances tonight. I felt on the pitch we played with a good tempo, always tried to play forward and be attacking and a threat. 

"In the end it becomes a frustrating game because you are chasing your tail a little bit, you're likely to get caught on the counterattack and that is where we have to be a little bit more savvy. 

"Going into a tournament, it is not ideal that we lost, but also there are some good learning curves from tonight that we can build on as a team."

This is the first time England have lost their final game prior to a major international tournament since Euro 1968, when they fell at the first hurdle in a four-team competition after going down to West Germany in their final warm-up fixture.

After losing 1-0 to Brazil in March, they have also failed to score in two of their last three matches at Wembley, as many blanks as they fired in their previous 31 outings at the national stadium.

Rice partnered Manchester United youngster Mainoo in the heart of midfield, and his team-mate came in for some criticism from supporters as the Three Lions were routinely caught out on the counterattack.

Rice, however, remains excited about Mainoo's potential, saying: "We did it in March, and it was really positive.

"I can imagine tonight because we lost tonight some people are saying stuff, but that's football these days. Kobbie's young, I am young, our midfield options are young. 

"We are going to learn every game and that is the beauty of football, that every game you play there is a chance to improve and get better."

Gareth Southgate has pledged England will learn from Friday's shock 1-0 defeat to Iceland ahead of their Euro 2024 campaign starting next week.

England's Wembley Stadium send-off fell flat as they produced a disjointed performance against a stubborn Iceland side, with Jon Thorsteinsson's low strike the difference. 

Despite Southgate picking a strong starting lineup featuring Harry Kane, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, the Three Lions managed just one shot on target and only recorded 0.89 expected goals (xG) from 13 total attempts.

It is the first time they have lost their final game prior to an international tournament since Euro 1968, having won 15 and drawn five of their previous 20 such matches. 

While Southgate was in no mood to excuse England's below-par performance, he is sure their issues will be solved before they face Serbia in Gelsenkirchen in nine days' time.

"It was obviously a disjointed and disappointing performance, and we didn't show enough character but I think it's good for us before an international tournament," Southgate told Channel 4.

"I think we've got to be better without the ball. I think there were a lot of reasons for that and across the two games we probably haven't had our full side out. 

"We've been able to look at people, we've been able to learn about the balance of the team.

"I've been involved in a lot of last matches leading into a tournament. 

"Inevitably players have one eye on what's coming in terms of early challenges. There are no excuses on the result but there are a lot of things we can put right quickly."

England have now conceded first in each of their last three games at Wembley – against Brazil and Belgium in March and versus Iceland on Friday.

It is the first time they have conceded first in three successive matches at the national stadium since doing so between October 1953 and November 1954 – a run which included an infamous 6-3 defeat to Hungary in November 1953.

England's Euro 2024 preparations ended on a sour note as Gareth Southgate's side produced a limp display in a surprise 1-0 defeat to Iceland at Wembley Stadium.

The absence of Jude Bellingham aside, Southgate selected a strong starting lineup but saw his side toil in the final third as Jon Thorsteinsson's early effort proved decisive. 

England started slowly as Iceland sat deep, and they were hit on the break 11 minutes in, Thorsteinsson driving a low strike behind the dive of Aaron Ramsdale and in after cutting inside John Stones on the left side of the area. 

The Three Lions missed two glaring chances to level before half-time, with Cole Palmer seeing a volley deflect wide before Harry Kane inexplicably fluffed his lines when picked out by the Chelsea man.

Stones was replaced by Ezri Konsa at the break in what appeared to be a precautionary move after the Manchester City man took a knock. England should have gone 2-0 down just after the hour-mark, but Thorsteinsson slipped when presented with a clear sight of goal.

That was the closest either side came to a goal in the second half, with substitute Ivan Toney missing England's best chance when he hooked Trent Alexander-Arnold's cross over.

Alexander-Arnold sent a cross-shot just wide in stoppage time and England were booed off at full-time, and far better will be required against Serbia next week. 

Data Debrief: Lacklustre warm-up for Three Lions

Prior to Friday's game, England had not lost their final game before any of their last 20 international tournaments (15 wins, five draws), last doing so when they went down 1-0 in Germany ahead of Euro 1968.

On that occasion, England, then world champions, fell at the first hurdle in a four-team tournament, losing out to eventual runners-up Yugoslavia. 

Nemanja Matic believes Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford's omission from England's Euro 2024 squad can only be good news for Serbia. 

Gareth Southgate confirmed his 26-man squad for the upcoming tournament in Germany on Thursday, with a number of high-profile names set to watch the Three Lions' bid for a first international trophy in 58 years from home. 

From the preliminary squad, James Trafford, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah, Harry Maguire, Curtis Jones, James Maddison and Grealish have all been dropped ahead of the Three Lions' final friendly fixture against Iceland.

Manchester United forward Rashford was not included in the initial 33-man party, having managed just seven league goals for Erik ten Hag's side this season.

He will miss his first international tournament since he was first called up to the senior England team in 2016. 

Matic, who retired from international football with Serbia in 2020, believes the absence of his former United team-mate – as well as that of Grealish – will only benefit his nation when they face England in their Group C opener in Gelsenkirchen on June 16. 

The former two-time Premier League winner wrote on X: "I would always like to have players like Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish in the team, players who can decide the game with one move! Not selected, good news for us."

Grealish has made 10 appearances in the last two major tournaments, nine of which came from the bench as he was deployed in the role of an impact player. 

All 36 of his England caps have come under Southgate, but a stop-start campaign with Manchester City saw the 28-year-old limited to 20 league appearances in 2023-24, after he provided five goals and seven assists as City won the treble in 2022-23.

Despite helping his side lift the FA Cup for a 13th time last month, Rashford was unable to replicate the form that saw him score 30 goals in all competitions during the 2022-23 campaign, meaning he will not be able to add to his 17 England goals in Germany. 

West Indies slow left-arm orthodox bowler Gudakesh Motie is reaping the benefits of his consistent performances in recent times, as he has been shortlisted for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player of the Month awards, which celebrates the outstanding performers from international competition in May.

The Guyanese, who is currently on duty with the West Indies at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, is joined by Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Ireland's Lorcan Tucker on the men's list released by ICC on Friday. The women's list is headlined by Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu, with England's Sophie Ecclestone and Scotland's captain Kathryn Bryce, the other nominees.

Motie, 29, earned a nomination after his Player of the Series exploits in West Indies whitewash series triumph over South Africa. Similarly, Pakistan pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi enjoyed a prolific wicket-taking month in his side’s T20I tours of Ireland and England last month, while Ireland's wicketkeeper/batsman Tucker recorded consistent scores against Pakistan, Netherlands and Scotland in his side’s preparations for the T20 World Cup.

Like Motie, Afridi and Tucker are both on duty at the T20 World Cup being hosted in the Caribbean and United States.

Meanwhile, two stars from the recently concluded ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE are nominated in the Women’s Player of the Month category, alongside an England spin sensation.

Sri Lankan skipper Athapaththu is nominated for the second month in a row after topping the run-scoring charts in Abu Dhabi and hitting a sparkling century in the final match. She is joined by Scotland skipper Bryce, who led her side to an historic first qualification for a women’s World Cup event thanks to memorable individual contributions. England’s Ecclestone is the third name in contention, nominated for more wicket-taking feats as her side overcame Pakistan in both shorter formats last month.

An independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world will now be invited to cast their votes to decide the winners, which will be announced next week. Fans are now able to vote for their favourite performers at icc-cricket.com/awards.

Shaheen Shah Afridi

ICC Men’s Player of the Month Nominees for May:

Gudakesh Motie (WI)

The West Indies’ left-arm spinner enjoyed plenty of success in the home series against South Africa in May, taking eight wickets across three matches at an average of 8.50, as the hosts sealed a statement 3-0 victory in Jamaica. Motie took three for 25 in the opening contest to restrict the tourists’ chase and he backed that performance up with another impressive spell of three for 22 to stifle the middle order in the second fixture. Another two wickets in the final match turned the tide in favour of the hosts once more and allowed the 29-year-old to claim the Player of the Series accolade.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (PAK)

Pakistan’s frontline pacer is nominated for the second successive month after another blistering spell of fast bowling in May. Afridi took ten wickets in his five T20I contests during the month, which included three consecutive three-wicket hauls. Spells of three for 49 and three for 14 against Ireland helped Pakistan overturn a series deficit to win in Dublin, before the 24-year-old followed up with three for 36 against England in Birmingham. The three-time nominee has never won a Men’s Player of the Month award but has a strong case to claim his maiden prize.

Lorcan Tucker (IRE)

The wicketkeeper-batter aims to become the first Irish winner of the Men’s Player of the Month award since Harry Tector in May 2023, and is nominated thanks to explosive run-scoring feats during a busy month of international competition. Tucker top-scored for Ireland in the second and third matches against Pakistan with successive quickfire scores of 51 and 73, and carried that momentum into the tri-series against Scotland and Netherlands, hitting 40 and 55 as Ireland sealed confidence boosting wins ahead of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign.

Scotland's Kathryn Bryce

ICC Women’s Player of the Month Nominees for May:

Chamari Athapaththu (SL)

Athapaththu has been no stranger to personal accolades in recent months, and continued her inspiring form in May as Sri Lanka booked their place at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Bangladesh with victory at the Qualifier in Abu Dhabi. The captain topped the runscoring charts at the event, and recorded 151 runs and six wickets in May’s contests. Once qualification was sealed, Athapaththu saved her best performance for last, smashing 102 in 63 balls against Scotland in a Player of the Match performance which guided her side to the trophy.

Kathryn Bryce (SCO)

Despite missing the final match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier last month through injury, Player of the Tournament Bryce spearheaded an historic campaign for Scotland which saw them qualify for their first ever women’s World Cup event. Chasing 100 for victory against Thailand, Bryce came in after an early wicket to steer her side to victory with a commanding unbeaten 63 in 58 balls. With qualification on the line against Ireland in the semi-final, Bryce produced more heroics, dismissing both of Ireland’s openers in the first over on her way to career-best figures of four for eight runs before hitting the winning runs in her 35 not out to cue jubilant celebrations.

Sophie Ecclestone (ENG)

Ecclestone sits at the top of the ICC Women’s T20I and ODI Bowler Rankings, and demonstrated her prowess in both formats with impressive performances in May. The left-arm spinner was a threat throughout England’s double series triumph over Pakistan, taking five wickets in the T20I contests, and six wickets in the ODIs. Among her highlights from the month was a commanding spell of three for 11 in the second T20I at Northampton, and back-to-back three-wicket hauls in both of the completed ODI encounters, earning her the Player of the Series prize.