The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for February 2026. Interestingly, the list does not feature a single Indian cricketer.
The month of February saw the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 dominate the international calendar. Players from several nations delivered strong performances across the tournament.
India eventually lifted the trophy, but their best performances came in the last Super Eights game and the knockout matches, which were scheduled in March. However, despite some key contributions during the campaign in February, none of the Indian players managed to make the final shortlist for the monthly ICC honour.
Sahibzada Farhan headlines the nominees
One of the standout names among the nominees is Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan. The right-handed batsman had a memorable tournament with the bat and finished as the highest run scorer of the competition.
Farhan piled up 383 runs during the event while striking at an impressive rate. He also scored two centuries during the tournament, which came against Namibia and Sri Lanka. Those knocks made him the first batsman to score two hundreds in a single edition of the Men’s T20 World Cup. His run scoring helped Pakistan reach the Super 8 stage before they narrowly missed out on a semifinal spot.
Will Jacks shines with bat and ball
England all-rounder Will Jacks is another nominee after playing a big role in England’s run to the semifinals. Jacks contributed with both bat and ball throughout the competition.
The 27-year-old scored close to 200 runs in the tournament while also picking up 11 wickets with his off spin. His performances were often match-defining, and he ended the event with four Player of the Match awards. That feat also made him the first player to win four such awards in a single edition of the tournament.
Shadley van Schalkwyk’s impact with the ball
USA pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk also earned a spot among the nominees after an impressive bowling campaign. The right arm quick picked up 13 wickets during the tournament and was one of the most consistent bowlers for the United States side.
Van Schalkwyk grabbed attention early in the event with a four-wicket haul against India. He later repeated the same figures against Pakistan in another group match. Apart from his wickets, his control with the ball also stood out as he maintained a tidy economy rate throughout the tournament.
India win the title but miss the ICC shortlist
India went on to clinch a record third T20 World Cup title after a strong run in the knockouts. A big reason behind that success was the form of Sanju Samson, who delivered some brilliant performances in the final stages of the competition.
However, most of his standout knocks came during the last three matches of the tournament, which were played in early March.
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