Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan, who was the highest run-getter for Pakistan in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026, has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month (March). Other than Farhan, Will Jacks and the USA’s Shadley van Schalwyk were nominated in the men’s category. In the women’s category, India seam bowler Arundhati Reddy secured the award for her exploits in the T20I series in Australia.
Sahibzada earned the award, surpassing the two, as he broke the record held by talismanic Virat Kohli for runs in a single edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, along with being the double-centurion in a single tournament. Notably, the centuries came against Namibia and Sri Lanka.
The explosive opener amassed 383 runs in seven T20Is with an exceptional average of 76.60, achieving a strike rate of 160.25, featuring two hundreds and two fifties. His performances distinguished themselves in the tournament for the monthly award, as the last two Super Eight matches and the knockout rounds occurred in March and will be assessed in the upcoming cycle.
Sahibzada Farhan said, as quoted by an ICC press release: “It is an incredible feeling to win this ICC award, especially for performances on the World Cup stage, where fans from all over the world are watching every moment. That makes it even more special.
“It was truly a tournament I will always cherish, and I am determined to carry this momentum forward in the series and competitions ahead. I am deeply grateful to my teammates for their constant support and belief in me – this would not have been possible without them.”
Reddy shone with her fine seam bowling Down Under, helping India win their T20I series against Australia by a 2-1 margin. Reddy was the leading wicket-taker in the series with hauls of four for 22, two for 30, and two for 35 in the three matches, finishing with an average of 10.87 and an economy rate of 7.25.
Arundhati Reddy: “It is a real honour to be named ICC Player of the Month and even more special knowing I was able to contribute to a T20I series win in Australia. Beating Australia on their home turf is never easy, which makes this award even more meaningful. This series win has given our team a huge boost of confidence as we build towards the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales this summer. We’ve got a well-balanced squad, and I believe we will be a team to watch.”
with inputs from agency
