New Delhi: India men's team captain Shubman Gill and women's team opener Shafali Verma have won the ICC Men's and Women's Player of the Month awards for September 2026. Gill was recognised for his performances against the West Indies in ODIs, while Shafali's award came after her contributions to India's Asia Cup and Asian Games triumphs.
Gill has now won the men's award five times, equalling West Indies captain Hayley Matthews' record for the most monthly honours. His previous wins came in January and September 2023, and February and July 2025.
For Shafali, this is her second Player of the Month award. She first won it in November 2025 after playing a key role in India's Women's World Cup triumph, including her match-winning performance in the final against South Africa.
Both players were central to India's success during September, with Gill producing two major innings against the West Indies and Shafali delivering consistently with both bat and ball.
Gill scored 110 in the first ODI against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram before hitting 223 off 133 balls in the next match. His double-century helped India chase down 406 with eight wickets in hand and 39 balls to spare, marking the fastest double-century in ODI history.
Reflecting on the achievement, Gill noted that it feels fantastic to win his fifth ICC Player of the Month award and expressed gratitude to the panel. He also pointed to the changing demands of ODI cricket, emphasising the need to assess conditions quickly and adapt to the target during a chase.
Meanwhile, Shafali scored 360 runs in seven T20Is in September, averaging 72 at a strike rate of 184.61, while also taking six wickets at an average of 13 and an economy rate of 4.33.
At the Women's Asia Cup in the UAE, she finished as the leading run-scorer with 236 runs in five innings. She scored 64 in the semi-final against Bangladesh and 68 in the final against Sri Lanka as India secured a record-extending eighth title.
Shafali carried her form into the Asian Games in Nagoya, scoring 188 runs in three innings. Her unbeaten 100 off 49 balls against Bangladesh in the semi-final marked her maiden T20I century. She followed it up with 48 in the gold-medal match against Sri Lanka, which India won by 147 runs, alongside taking four wickets throughout the tournament.
Expressing her delight, Shafali said it is an incredible honour to win the ICC Player of the Month award again, adding that playing her part in the team's victories at the Asia Cup and the Asian Games was immensely satisfying.
India have previously swept both monthly awards on multiple occasions, with Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana winning in June 2024, and Abhishek Sharma and Mandhana claiming the honours in September 2025.