Shubman Gill does not seem to believe in quiet months. A little over two weeks after smashing the fastest double century in ODI history against the West Indies, India’s Test and ODI captain has added another line to his growing list of honours: the ICC has named him the Men’s Player of the Month for September 2026, the fifth time he has won the award. In the women’s category, opener Shafali Verma picked up her second such honour after a month in which she starred in India’s Women’s Asia Cup and Asian Games triumphs, completing a rare double for Indian cricket.
The announcement, made in Dubai on Tuesday, October 13, extends a golden period for Indian cricket. It is only the third time that players from the same national board have swept both the men’s and women’s monthly awards, and each of those three sweeps has had an Indian flavour.
Gill equals the all-time record
With five wins, Gill now stands level with West Indies captain Hayley Matthews for the most ICC Player of the Month awards by any player. His earlier honours came in January 2023, September 2023, February 2025 and July 2025, and this latest one puts him alone at the top of the men’s category.
For the September award, Gill saw off competition from his own teammate Abhishek Sharma and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza. The selection panel had plenty of material to work with. Gill’s month was built on two commanding innings in the ODI series against the West Indies, and both came in run chases that felt like statements of intent.
In the first ODI at Thiruvananthapuram, he made 110 off 108 balls as India hunted down 296 with more than eight overs to spare, sealing an eight-wicket win. Three days later in Guwahati, he produced an innings that will be talked about for years: an unbeaten 223 off just 133 balls.
The 223 that rewrote the record books
That Guwahati knock was not merely a big score. It dismantled a series of long-standing records in a single afternoon, powering India to a successful chase of 406, their second-highest successful chase in ODI history, with eight wickets and 39 balls to spare.
- Fastest double century in ODI history: Gill reached his double hundred off 117 balls, quicker than anyone who had ever done it before.
- Fastest hundred by an Indian captain in ODIs: his century came off just 62 balls.
- Highest individual score in a successful ODI chase: the 223, with 26 fours and eight sixes, set a new benchmark.
- India’s highest partnership on home soil: his 255-run opening stand with Rohit Sharma, who made 101 off 75, was a record for India at home.
Gill later spoke about how the format is changing under the feet of the players, noting that the pace of ODI cricket has gone up significantly and that batters now have to think on their feet, assess conditions quickly and adapt to both the pitch and the target. He also pointed to the road ahead: with the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in southern Africa next year, he said India are determined to keep raising their standards and build a strong, balanced team capable of rising to the challenges ahead.
Shafali’s September: Asia Cup and Asian Games glory
Shafali Verma’s month needed no record book entries to impress the judges. The opener was a central figure in two title wins: India’s triumph at the Women’s Asia Cup and their gold-medal campaign at the Asian Games 2026, where India beat Bangladesh by 114 runs in the semifinal. Her explosive batting at the top gave India momentum in both tournaments.
This is the second time Shafali has collected the monthly honour. She first won it in November 2025 after her decisive performance in the Women’s World Cup final against South Africa. At just 22, she is now building a resume that places her among the most decorated young cricketers in the women’s game.
India’s third double
The simultaneous wins by Gill and Shafali mark only the fifth occasion in history that players from the same country have won both monthly awards, and the third time India has done it. The previous two Indian doubles were Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana in June 2024, and Abhishek Sharma and Mandhana in September 2025. The other two instances were Sri Lanka’s Dunith Wellalage and Harshitha Samarawickrama in August 2024, and West Indies’ Justin Greaves and Hayley Matthews in July 2026.
For Indian fans, the timing is sweet. Gill is leading the men’s side into a packed home season and a World Cup year, while Shafali is part of a women’s setup riding back-to-back tournament wins. Both winners are products of a generation that has made fearless, front-foot cricket the Indian way of playing.
FAQs
When were Shubman Gill and Shafali Verma named ICC Players of the Month?
The ICC announced the September 2026 winners on October 13, 2026. Gill won the men’s award and Shafali the women’s award.
How many ICC Player of the Month awards has Shubman Gill won?
Five. His wins came in January 2023, September 2023, February 2025, July 2025 and September 2026, equalling Hayley Matthews’ all-time record.
What records did Gill’s 223 break?
It was the fastest double century in ODI history (117 balls), the fastest hundred by an Indian captain in ODIs (62 balls), and the highest individual score in a successful ODI chase.
Why did Shafali Verma win the women’s award?
She was a key performer in India’s Women’s Asia Cup and Asian Games triumphs in September 2026. It is her second Player of the Month award.
How many times has India swept both ICC monthly awards?
Three times: Bumrah and Mandhana in June 2024, Abhishek Sharma and Mandhana in September 2025, and now Gill and Shafali in September 2026.
For Gill, the awards cabinet keeps getting heavier, and the timing could not be better. With a World Cup on the horizon next year in southern Africa, India’s captain is peaking exactly when his team needs him most.
