Shubman Gill creates history with fifth ICC Player of the Month award

India’s Shubman Gill and Shafali Verma have been named the ICC Men’s and Women’s Player of the Month for September 2026. The current India Test and ODI captain extended his record to five wins, while it’s the second time Shafali has collected the honour.

Notably, Gill earned recognition following a prolific ODI series against the West Indies. The 27-year-old produced two defining performances, scoring 110 in the opening ODI in Thiruvananthapuram, helping India secure an eight-wicket victory. He followed it with 223 off 133 deliveries, recording the fastest double-century in ODI history as India chased a target of 406 with eight wickets and 39 balls remaining.

“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, as quoted by ICC.

His latest achievement puts him level with West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, who has also won the award five times. Meanwhile, Gill’s previous honours came in January and September 2023, followed by February and July 2025. On the other hand, Shafali’s contributions to India’s triumphs at the Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games secured her the women’s award.

The double victory marks the fifth occasion on which players from the same national board have won both monthly honours. Indian cricketers have achieved the feat three times, following Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana in June 2024, and Abhishek Sharma and Mandhana in September 2025.