Dubai, March 16, 2026: Pakistan’s opening batter Sahibzada Farhan and women’s cricket captain Fatima Sana have been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award for February 2026, following standout performances in international cricket.
Farhan, the right-handed opener, enjoyed a record-breaking run during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, finishing as the tournament’s highest run-scorer. He amassed 383 runs at a strike rate of 160.25 and an average of 76.60, surpassing Virat Kohli’s previous record of 319 runs in the 2014 edition. Farhan also scored two centuries—against Namibia and Sri Lanka—becoming the first batter to achieve two hundreds in a single Men’s T20 World Cup edition. His performances helped Pakistan reach the Super 8 stage, narrowly missing out on a semi-final berth.
Meanwhile, Fatima Sana shone with her all-round contributions on Pakistan’s tour of South Africa. Despite her team losing both the ODI and T20I series 2-1, Sana delivered several match-winning performances. She scored a brilliant 90 in the first T20I, followed by an unbeaten 47 and bowling figures of 2 for 12 in the third match, earning the Player of the Match award. In the 50-over series, she struck a crucial 52 and took two wickets in the second ODI, finishing the tour with four ODI wickets and two T20I wickets.
Other nominees in men’s cricket include England’s Jacks, who played a key role in England’s journey to the semi-finals, scoring 194 runs at a strike rate of 173.21 and taking 11 wickets at an economy rate just above eight. He earned four Player of the Match awards, the most by any player in a single T20 World Cup edition.
USA pacer Van Schalkwyk also featured among the nominees for his consistent wicket-taking ability. The right-arm fast bowler claimed 13 wickets during the tournament, including four-wicket hauls against India and Pakistan, while maintaining an impressive economy rate of 7.76.
The ICC is expected to announce the Player of the Month for February 2026 following a review of performances across both men’s and women’s international cricket.
