Abhishek Sharma pips Kuldeep Yadav, Smriti Mandhana wins huge ICC honour | Cricket News
India’s Abhishek Sharma and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana have been named the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for September 2025, following standout performances that highlighted their consistent impact on the field.Abhishek, 25, earned the men’s award after a stellar run in the Asia Cup, where he smashed 314 runs in seven T20Is at an average of 44.85 and a strike rate of 200. He struck three half-centuries and was instrumental in India’s semi-final win over Sri Lanka, guiding the team into the title decider. “It feels great to win this ICC award and I am happy that it has come for some important matches that I could help win,” he said. Abhishek added, “I am proud to be part of a team that can pull off victories from the most difficult of situations. Our recent track record in T20Is reflects our outstanding team culture and positive mindset.”The batter also reached a career-high rating of 931 points on the ICC Men’s T20I Batter Rankings, surpassing the previous best of 919 points set by England’s Dawid Malan in 2020. His contributions included 75 against Pakistan and 74 against Bangladesh in the group stage, consistently providing India with fast starts. On the women’s side, Mandhana was honoured for her exceptional batting in September, particularly during the ODI series against Australia ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. She scored 308 runs across four matches, averaging 77 with a strike rate of 135.68, including two centuries. Her 50-ball century in the series decider marked the second-fastest in Women’s ODI history.
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“I am truly honoured to receive the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for September 2025,” Mandhana said. “A recognition like this pushes me to keep growing and evolving as a player. The recognition also reflects the support, trust, and effort we put in together collectively as a team.” Both awards highlighted the dominance and consistency of India’s batting stars across formats, with Sharma and Mandhana leading from the front and providing crucial contributions to their sides in high-pressure matches.
