Shubman Gill and Shafali Verma have been named the ICC Men's and Women's Players of the Month for September 2026, respectively, completing a rare double for India for the third time in the award's history. The announcement was made on 13 October 2026 from Dubai.

Gill's Record Fifth Monthly Award

Shubman Gill, India's ODI and Test captain, claimed his fifth ICC Player of the Month honour — extending his own record as the most decorated winner in the men's category. His previous wins came in January 2023, September 2023, February 2025, and July 2025. The latest award equals the tally of West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, who has also won the women's award five times.

Gill's recognition was driven by a commanding ODI series against the West Indies. He opened with 110 in the first match in Thiruvananthapuram, helping India seal an eight-wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the series. He then produced a historic 223 off 133 deliveries — the quickest double-century in ODI history — powering a successful chase of a 406-run target. India won that match by eight wickets with 39 balls to spare.

'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,' Gill said. He also pointed to the upcoming ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in southern Africa next year as motivation to keep raising standards.

Shafali's Dominant Run in Asia Cup and Asian Games

Shafali Verma earned her second ICC Player of the Month award, following her first win in November 2025 after a match-winning performance in the Women's World Cup final against South Africa in Navi Mumbai. Her September recognition was built on a remarkable fortnight across two major tournaments.

Verma was India's leading run-scorer in their Women's Asia Cup-winning campaign, accumulating 360 runs at a strike rate of 184.61 and also claiming six wickets during the period. She carried that form into the Asian Games, scoring an unbeaten 100 against Bangladesh in the semi-final and adding 48 in the final against Sri Lanka.

'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,' Verma said. She also cited the ICC Women's Champions Trophy in February next year — to be held on home soil — as a tournament she is already looking forward to.

India's Historic Double — A Growing Pattern

This is the fifth occasion on which players from the same cricket board have won both monthly honours simultaneously, and the third time India has achieved the feat. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana won the respective awards in June 2024, while Abhishek Sharma and Mandhana shared the honours in September 2025. The pattern underlines India's growing depth and consistency across both the men's and women's formats.

Other Nominees on the September Shortlists

The men's shortlist also featured India opener Abhishek Sharma and Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza. On the women's side, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and India left-arm spinner Sree Charani were among the nominees. The recognition for multiple Indian players across both shortlists reinforces the nation's dominance in international cricket during the period.

With the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in southern Africa and the ICC Women's Champions Trophy on home soil both scheduled for next year, both Gill and Verma will be eager to convert strong individual form into tournament success for India.