Kamal Ghorui
Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan was on Monday named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February 2026 after a record-breaking campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, where he surpassed a long-standing mark set by Virat Kohli.Farhan was the standout batter of the tournament, finishing as the highest run-scorer with 383 runs in seven matches (six innings) at an impressive average of 76.60. His tally, which included two centuries and two half-centuries, came at a blistering strike rate of 160.25 and saw him break the record for most runs in a single edition of the T20 World Cup (319 by Kohli in the 2014 edition).Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The 30-year-old’s consistency and impact were central to Pakistan’s campaign, even though the team narrowly missed out on a semi-final spot due to net run rate. His performances also earned him a place in the ICC Team of the Tournament.“It’s 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,” Farhan said.“It was truly a tournament I’ll always cherish, and I’m determined to carry this momentum forward in the series and competitions ahead. I’m deeply grateful to my teammates for their constant support and belief in me – this wouldn’t have been possible without them,” he added.Farhan also became the first batter to score two centuries in a single men’s T20 World Cup, reaching three figures against Namibia and Sri Lanka. He was also part of a record 176-run partnership with Fakhar Zaman — the highest for any wicket in T20Is — further underlining his dominance during the tournament.The award marks Farhan’s first ICC Player of the Month honour, making him the first Pakistan men’s cricketer to win it since Haris Rauf in November 2024.
Arundhati Reddy wins ICC Women’s Player of the Month
India pacer Arundhati Reddy clinched the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award following her impactful performances in a T20I series win in Australia.Reddy was the leading wicket-taker in the series, picking up eight wickets across three matches, including figures of four for 22, two for 30 and two for 35, at an average of 10.87.“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,” Reddy said.
