Shubman Gill and Shafali Verma named ICC Players of the Month for September

India's ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill and women's team opener Shafali Verma have been named the ICC's best cricketers for September. Gill won the award in the men's category and Shafali in the women's. This is the third time that Indian men and women cricketers have been chosen Player of the Month together in the same month.

Gill won the award after a stellar performance in the ODI series against West Indies. It is his fifth ICC Player of the Month award, extending his record for the most wins in the men's category. With this fifth win, he has drawn level with West Indies captain Hayley Matthews, who has also won the award five times.

In the first match of the ODI series against West Indies, Gill scored 110. In the second, he played a superb innings of 223 off 133 balls.

Shafali Verma had played a key role in India's wins in the Women's Asia Cup and the Asian Games. She has now won the Player of the Month award for the second time.

After receiving the award, Gill said it felt very good to win his fifth ICC Player of the Month award. He thanked the panel for the honour. According to Gill, scoring so many runs feels great, and chasing successfully in front of home crowds makes it even more special.

Gill added that the pace of ODI cricket has increased considerably. A player has to think quickly, read the situation instantly and control himself according to the needs of the pitch and the target.

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in South Africa next year was also discussed. It was said that the team would maintain its best standard and is determined to build a strong and balanced side to face the challenges ahead.

Shafali Verma said that winning the ICC Player of the Month award again is an incredible honour. According to her, it was good to contribute to the wins in the Asia Cup and the Asian Games, and the award makes those victories even more special.

Shafali added that she is very excited about the coming months. She is determined to keep up her good form in the ICC Women's Champions Trophy next February and is eagerly looking forward to the tournament. She said the memories of winning the World Cup are still fresh and special, and that she cannot wait to return to the field for an ICC tournament on home pitches.

The September shortlist in the men's category also included India opener Abhishek Sharma and Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Sharma, besides Gill. In the women's category, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and India left-arm spinner Shree Charani were nominated along with Shafali.