New Delhi, Oct. 13 -- India captain Shubman Gill was on Tuesday named ICC men's Player of the Month for a record fifth time following his outstanding performance in the ODI series against the West Indies, while opener Shafali Verma claimed the women's honour for her impressive show in the Asia Cup and the Asian Games.
Gill emulated West Indies captain Haley Matthews, who has also been the ICC Player of the Month on five occasions. The 27-year-old was previously honoured for the months of January and September in 2023, and February and July in 2025.
"It feels fantastic to win my fifth ICC Player of the Month award, and I am grateful to the panel for this honour," said India's Test and ODI captain, who struck a fine 110 in the first ODI against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram.
Gill then smashed the quickest double-century ever, his 223 off 133 balls helping his team chase down a huge 406-run target with eight wickets in hand and 39 balls still left.
"It was immensely satisfying to score those runs and even more special to be part of successful run chases in front of our home fans, whose support always gives us an extra boost," Gill said.
"The pace of ODI cricket has gone up significantly, and you must think on your feet, assess the conditions quickly and adapt to the demands of the pitch and the target.
Verma, who had won the award in November last year following her match-winning knock in the World Cup final against South Africa in Navi Mumbai, was once again in the spotlight for her performances in big matches.
The aggressive opener was the highest run-scorer for her team as India won the Women's Asia Cup.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.