Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill and Sikandar Raza. (Source:Instagram)
The ICC has named Abhishek Sharma, Sikandar Raza and Shubman Gill as the three nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for September 2026. The trio produced standout individual performances across T20I and ODI cricket during the month, with each player making a strong case for the honour.
Abhishek Sharma was the most explosive of the three, delivering a series of high-impact innings for India in their T20I series against Afghanistan. Before the series, the left-hander had managed just one half-century across his previous 10 T20 innings, making his return to form all the more notable.
How did Abhishek Sharma perform in September 2026?
Abhishek opened the series in Delhi with 82 from 32 balls, reaching his half-century in just 22 deliveries with seven fours and seven sixes. India chased down 157 with 38 balls to spare, and Abhishek was named Player of the Match. In the second T20I, he scored 39 from 19 deliveries at a strike rate of 205.26.
The third match produced the most remarkable innings of the series. Batting first for the first time in the series, Abhishek struck 108 from 34 balls, bringing up his century in just 30 deliveries. It was the fastest T20I century by a batter from a Full Member nation. His fifty came from 16 balls, joint-fourth fastest by an Indian in men’s T20Is, while his final strike rate of 317.64 was the highest by an Indian in a T20I innings. He hit 11 sixes, the second-most by an Indian in a T20I innings.
Abhishek collected a second Player of the Match award in that game and also won the Player of the Series honour. He finished the three-match series with 229 runs at an average of 76.33. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the ICC T20I batting rankings.
What did Sikandar Raza and Shubman Gill do to earn their nominations?
Sikandar Raza produced consecutive determined performances for Zimbabwe in their three-match ODI series against Australia, despite Zimbabwe losing the series. The No. 2-ranked ODI all-rounder scored a composed 57 in the opening match after Zimbabwe slipped to four wickets down, sharing a 98-run partnership with Craig Ervine. In the second ODI, he contributed 45 from 49 balls through the middle order. In the final match, Raza came to the crease in the 29th over with wickets falling and finished unbeaten on 81 from 72 balls, helping Zimbabwe reach 271/8. He also dismissed Oliver Peake and Josh Inglis, who had scored a century, with the ball in that game.
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Shubman Gill’s September was defined by two significant ODI innings against the West Indies. The India captain and No. 1-ranked ODI batter scored 110 from 108 balls in Thiruvananthapuram, his 10th ODI century, as India chased down 296. His partnership with Virat Kohli helped India complete the chase. In the second ODI in Guwahati, Gill scored 223 not out from 133 balls as India chased 406, completing the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history in 43 overs. His innings included 26 fours and eight sixes, with his double-century coming from 117 deliveries and his century from 62 balls. The 223 not out is also the highest individual score in a successful ODI chase and the fastest double-century ever in the format.
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