Zimbabwe’s rising star Brian Bennett, the 21-year-old top-order batter, has been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award for September following a string of standout performances in T20 Internationals.

Bennett’s form with the bat earned him a place on the men’s shortlist alongside India’s Abhishek Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav.

The young Zimbabwean amassed 497 runs in nine T20Is at an average of 55.22 and a strike rate of 165.66. He was the leading run-scorer in the T20I series against Sri Lanka and Namibia, and followed up with scores of 72, 65, and 111 in his first three innings during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Africa Qualifier. (Source: ICC)

Joining him on the shortlist, Abhishek Sharma scored 314 runs in seven matches at an average of 44.85 and a strike rate of 200 during the Asia Cup, playing a key role in India’s victories. Meanwhile, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav topped the wicket charts with 17 wickets in seven T20Is, averaging 9.29 with an economy rate of 6.27.

In the women’s category, India’s Smriti Mandhana, Pakistan’s Sidra Ameen, and South Africa’s Tazmin Brits received nominations. Mandhana struck 308 runs in four ODIs at an average of 77, including scores of 58, 117, and 125 against Australia. Sidra led Pakistan’s home ODI series against South Africa with 293 runs in three matches at an extraordinary average of 293, while Brits was named Player of the Series after innings of 101 and 171 in the first two games.

Fans can vote for their favorite players on the ICC website, contributing 10% of the final tally. The ICC Voting Academy, made up of renowned journalists, former players, broadcasters, and ICC Hall of Fame members, accounts for the remaining 90%. Winners will be announced in the second week of each month across ICC’s digital platforms.