Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma of India, along with Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza, have been nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for September 2026, the International Cricket Council confirmed on 6 October. The shortlist reflects a month of record-shattering white-ball performances across T20Is and ODIs.

Abhishek Sharma's Historic T20I Campaign

Abhishek Sharma lit up India's three-match T20I series against Afghanistan with a run-scoring blitz that rewrote record books. He ended the series with 229 runs at an average of 76.33, an emphatic return to form after managing just one half-century across his previous 10 T20I innings.

The left-hander opened with an 82 off 32 balls in the series opener in Delhi, reaching his fifty in just 22 deliveries with seven fours and six sixes. India chased down 157 with 38 balls to spare, and Abhishek was named Player of the Match. He added 39 off 19 balls in the second T20I before reserving his finest performance for the decider.

In the third match, Abhishek hammered 108 off 45 balls, bringing up his century in just 30 deliveries — the fastest T20I century by a batter from a Full Member nation. His fifty had arrived in 16 balls, and his final strike rate of 317.64 was the highest by an Indian in a men's T20I innings. The knock included 11 sixes, the second-most by an Indian in a single T20I innings. His partnership with Sanju Samson during the Powerplay yielded India's highest-ever Powerplay score of 100/0. Abhishek collected both the Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards, consolidating his position as the No. 2-ranked T20I batter in the world.

Gill's Record-Breaking ODI Double

Shubman Gill, India's captain and the No. 1-ranked ODI batter, paired consistency with a world-class performance to make September one of the most productive months of his career. He opened with a 110 off 108 balls against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram, his 10th ODI century, as India successfully chased 296 with Virat Kohli also contributing.

He then produced arguably the ODI innings of the year in Guwahati. Chasing 406, India completed the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history, reaching the target in 43.3 overs. Gill remained unbeaten on 223 off 133 balls, striking 26 fours and eight sixes, and bringing up his century from 62 balls and his double century from just 117 deliveries. His 223 not out is now the highest individual score in a successful ODI chase, and the effort made him the fastest Indian captain to score an ODI century.

Raza's Gritty All-Round Contributions for Zimbabwe

Sikandar Raza, ranked No. 2 in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings, earned his nomination through a series of match-saving performances in Zimbabwe's three-match ODI series against Australia, which Zimbabwe lost. In the opener, Raza steadied his side after they collapsed to four wickets down in a chase, scoring 57 and sharing a 98-run partnership with Craig Ervine.

He chipped in with 45 off 45 balls in the second ODI before his most important knock came in the series finale. Walking in during the 29th over with wickets tumbling, Raza finished unbeaten on 81 off 72 balls, helping Zimbabwe post 271/8. He also dismissed Oliver Peake and Josh Inglis — who had scored a century — with the ball, underscoring his value as a genuine two-dimensional cricketer.

What the Nomination Means

All three nominees delivered standout performances across formats in September, but the records Gill and Abhishek set make the India pair strong frontrunners. Notably, both achievements — the fastest T20I century from a Full Member nation and the highest score in a successful ODI chase — came within the same calendar month, an extraordinary coincidence for Indian cricket. The winner of the award will be announced by the ICC in the coming days.