A couple of Indian players made it to the ICC Men’s Player of the Month nominees list for September 2025 following their heroics as the Men in Blue won the 2025 Asia Cup. While World No.1-ranked T20I batter Abhishek Sharma earned a nomination, ace spinner Kuldeep Yadav also made it to the list after emerging as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.
Opening batter Abhishek Sharma performed exceedingly well with the bat by providing the team with blistering starts. The southpaw amassed 314 runs in seven T20Is with the help of three half-centuries at a stunning strike rate of 200. The 25-year-old earned Player of the Tournament for his exploits in the T20 tournament. The Punjab batter also consolidated his top place in the rankings chart, breaking Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli's record for the highest ratings in the latest ICC T20I rankings.
Meanwhile, Kuldeep Yadav produced a sensational bowling display as he continued to wreak havoc in the opposition lineup. The left-arm wrist-spinner bagged 17 wickets in seven innings at an economy rate of 6.27. The UP-born player returned with figures of 4/7 against the UAE in the opening game. He also finished with another four-fer (4/30) in the final as India beat Pakistan by five wickets to win their ninth Asia Cup. The 30-year-old climbed nine places to 12th in the latest ICC T20I rankings.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s swashbuckling batter Brian Bennett impressed with the bat, scoring 497 runs across nine T20Is with a strike rate of 165.66. After becoming the leading run-scorer in the series against Sri Lanka and Namibia, he continued his purple patch in the regional (Africa) T20 World Cup final by returning with scores of 111, 65, and 72 (latest first). His efforts with the bat helped Zimbabwe earn a place in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
India's Smriti Mandhana nominated for ICC Women’s Player of the Month for September 2025
India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana earned a nomination for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for September 2025. The left-handed batter scored 308 runs in four ODIs at an average of 77 and a strike rate of 135.68 against Australia last month. The star opener smashed two centuries, scoring 117 and 125 against the reigning World Champions to prepare for the 2025 ODI World Cup.
Mandhana slammed a 50-ball century in the final ODI, breaking Virat Kohli’s massive record against Australia among both men and women batters for Team India. The 29-year-old was rewarded with the Player of the Series award, but India lost the series 1-2. She will be keen to avenge the defeat against the Aussies when the two teams face off in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, October 12.
South Africa’s Tazmin Brits was included among the Women's Player of the Month nominees for her heroics as her team beat Pakistan by 2-1 in an ODI series. The right-handed batter scored 272 runs in two innings, including unbeaten 101 and 171 to earn the Player of the Series award.
Meanwhile, Pakistan opener Sidra Ameen emerged as the leading run-scorer in the same series against South Africa to earn a nomination for the Women's Player of the Month award. She amassed 293 runs in three innings with the help of an unbeaten 121, 122, and 50 not out.
Follow IPL Auction 2025 Live Updates, News & Biddings at Sportskeeda. Get the fastest updates on Mega-Auction and cricket news