GILL AND VERMA WIN ICC PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARDS FOR SEPTEMBER

• Indian players won both awards for September 2026 as ODI captain Shubman Gill clinched it for the fifth time and opener Shafali Verma won her second award 

• More about the ICC Player of the Month awards is available here. 

India captain Shubman Gill has clinched a record fifth ICC Player of the Month award after a stellar ODI series against the West Indies, while opener Shafali Verma has claimed her second award following impressive performances in the Asia Cup and the Asian Games. 

The shortlists featured a host of standout performers, with India’s Abhishek Sharma and Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza in contention for the men’s award, while Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and India left-arm spinner Sree Charani were in the reckoning for the women’s honour. 

This is the fifth instance of players from the same Board winning both awards and the third time by Indian players. Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana won the awards in June 2024 while Abhishek Sharma and Smriti Mandhana won them in September 2025. 

Gill clinched his fifth award to extend his record for men while emulating West Indies captain Haley Matthews, who has also been the ICC Player of the Month on five occasions. Gill’s previous awards came in the months of January and September 2023, and February and July in 2025. 

India’s Test and ODI captain struck a fine 110 in the first ODI against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram, contributing to the home side’s eight-wicket victory that put them 1-0 ahead in the series. He then smashed the quickest double-century ever, his 223 off 133 balls helping his team chase down a huge 406-run target with eight wickets in hand and 39 balls still left. 

Gill said: “It feels fantastic to win my fifth ICC Player of the Month award, and I am grateful to the panel for this honour. It was immensely satisfying to score those runs and even more special to be part of successful run chases in front of our home fans, whose support always gives us an extra boost. 

“The pace of ODI cricket has gone up significantly, and you must think on your feet, assess the conditions quickly and adapt to the demands of the pitch and the target. With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in southern Africa next year, we are determined to keep raising our standards and build a strong and balanced team capable of rising to the challenges ahead.” 

Verma, who had won the award in November last year following her match-winning knock in the ICC Women’s World Cup Final against South Africa in Navi Mumbai, was once again in the spotlight for her performances in big matches. 

The aggressive opener was the highest run-scorer for her team as India won the Women’s Asia Cup. She aggregated 360 runs at a strike-rate of 184.61 and chipped in with six wickets during this period. At the Asian Games, she struck 100 not out against Bangladesh in the semifinal and 48 in the final against Sri Lanka. 

Verma said: “It is an incredible honour to win the ICC Player of the Month award again. It was immensely satisfying to play my part in our victories at the Asia Cup and the Asian Games, and winning this award makes those triumphs even more special. 

“I am excited about the months ahead and determined to keep performing at my best, with the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy in February next year another tournament to look forward to. The memory of winning the World Cup is still so fresh and special, and I can’t wait to be back on the field for an ICC tournament on home soil. It promises to be an unforgettable experience!” 

Both players were crowned following a vote conducted among global fans registered at  icc-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising former international players and media representatives. 

Fans can continue to vote every month for their favourite cricketers across all formats of international cricket in the ICC Player of the Month awards by registering at  www.icc-cricket.com/awards. 

The media release announcing the shortlist with more detail on other shortlisted players and the complete selection panel is available here.