Indian opener Shafali Verma has been named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for September 2026 after her impressive performances helped India win the Women’s Asia Cup and the gold medal at the Asian Games.
The 22-year-old has received the monthly honour for the second time. She first won the award in November last year after playing a key role in India’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup triumph on home soil, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said.
Shafali accumulated 360 runs in seven T20 Internationals during September, averaging 72 at a strike rate of 184.61. Her tally featured a century and two half-centuries. She also made valuable contributions with the ball, taking six wickets at an average of 13 and an economy rate of 4.33.
At the Women’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Shafali finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 236 runs in five innings. She scored 64 against Bangladesh in the semi-final before making 68 in the title clash against Sri Lanka, helping India secure their eighth Asia Cup crown.
The opener maintained her form at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, scoring 188 runs in three innings. Following an unbeaten 40 against Japan, she struck her maiden T20I century, smashing 100 off just 49 balls against Bangladesh in the semi-final.
Shafali then scored 48 runs in the gold-medal match against Sri Lanka as India registered a 147-run victory. She also claimed four wickets at the Asian Games, including two in the final, taking her combined wicket tally across the two tournaments to six.
Her performances have also taken her into the top four of the ICC Women’s T20I batting rankings. In addition, she has set a new benchmark for women’s T20I batting in a calendar year, scoring 863 runs in 24 matches and innings in 2026 at an average of 39.22 and a strike rate above 162. Her tally includes one century and seven half-centuries.
Reacting to the award, Shafali said she was delighted to have contributed to India’s success at both continental events and described the recognition as an added source of satisfaction.
She also said she was looking forward to India’s upcoming white-ball series against Zimbabwe, while the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy scheduled for February next year remained another major target.
Reflecting on India’s World Cup victory, Shafali said the memory remained special and expressed excitement about playing in another ICC tournament on home soil.
