Dubai: Charismatic Indian cricketers Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav in the men’s section and Smriti Mandhana in the women’s section have been nominated for the ‘ICC Player of the Month’ awards for September.
Left-handed T20 specialist Abhishek was in blazing form in India’s Asia Cup-winning campaign in the UAE, being named ‘Player of the Tournament’ for his 314 runs in seven T20Is, that included three half-centuries with a staggering strike rate of 200.
The 25-year-old also reached the highest batting rating ever recorded in men’s T20I history with 931 points.
Wrist spinner Kuldeep enjoyed a dream run in the high-stakes tournament, where India beat arch foes Pakistan thrice, emerging as the leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps at an economy rate of 6.27.
He began the Asia Cup campaign with figures of 4/7 against the UAE and finished with 4/30 in the title win against Pakistan.
Zimbabwe’s Brian Bennett is the third men’s cricketer nominated for the award for his exceptional batting. He scored 497 runs in nine T20Is at an average of 55.22 and a strike rate of 165.66.
He topped the charts in the series against Sri Lanka and Namibia, before carrying his form into the T20 World Cup Africa Regional Final, scoring 72, 65 and 111 in his first three innings. Thanks to his exploits with the bat, Zimbabwe qualified for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Star India top-order batter Mandhana, who earned the ‘Player of the Series’ award against Australia in the closely-contested three-match ODI series last month, has been nominated for the ‘ICC Player of the Month’ in the women’s section.
The left-hander scored 308 runs in four ODIs in September at an average of 77 and a strike rate of 135.68.
She scored 58, 117 and 125 against the Southern Stars. Despite a loss in the first game, her century in the following game helped the hosts level the series. She slammed another century in the decider but India were unlucky to lose the series 1-2.
Pakistan opener Sidra Amin and South Africa’s Tazmin Brits are the other two nominees for the award.
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