Indian cricket stars
This latest achievement brings Gill’s total tally of monthly awards to five, placing him level with West Indies captain Hayley Matthews for the most wins across both categories. For Verma, the honour represents her second career monthly award, building on the momentum she established during India’s World Cup victory against South Africa in November 2025.
Gill’s Record-Breaking September Performance
Gill’s selection was driven by a series of commanding displays against the West Indies. The opening match in Thiruvananthapuram saw him anchor the side with an innings of 110, which paved the way for an eight-wicket victory. He followed this with a historic performance in the subsequent match, smashing 223 runs from just 133 balls. This knock, which featured the fastest double-century in ODI history, was instrumental in India successfully chasing down a target of 406 with 39 balls to spare.
Reflecting on his fifth award, Gill expressed his gratitude to the voting panel and highlighted the importance of contributing to successful home chases. Looking ahead, the right-hander emphasised the need for India to maintain high standards as the team prepares for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in southern Africa next year. He noted that the increasing pace of the ODI format requires players to remain adaptable and decisive in their approach to different pitch conditions.
Verma’s All-Round Excellence
Shafali Verma’s recognition stems from her consistent impact throughout September. During the Women’s Asia Cup, she emerged as India’s leading run-scorer, amassing 360 runs at a strike rate of 184.61. Her contributions were not limited to batting, as she also claimed six wickets during the period. She maintained this high level of performance at the Asian Games, highlighted by an unbeaten century against Bangladesh in the semi-final and a 48-run knock in the final against Sri Lanka.
Verma expressed her satisfaction with the team’s recent tournament successes and turned her focus toward the upcoming ICC Women’s Champions Trophy scheduled for February. The Indian side has now achieved the monthly award double on three separate occasions, with previous instances involving Jasprit Bumrah, Smriti Mandhana, and Abhishek Sharma. The September shortlist also included notable performances from Abhishek Sharma, Sikandar Raza, Chamari Athapaththu, and Sree Charani.
