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Sahibzada Farhan Wins ICC Player of the Month After Record T20 World Cup Run

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has been named the ICC Men's Player of the Month for February 2026 following his stellar performance in the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. He was the tournament's highest run-scorer with 383 runs, breaking Virat Kohli's longstanding record for most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition. Farhan's campaign featured two centuries and a record 176-run partnership with Fakhar Zaman, propelling him to a career-high second place in the T20I batting rankings. He beat out competitors like England's Will Jacks to become the first Pakistani male player to win the monthly award since Haris Rauf in 2024.

Key Points: Sahibzada Farhan Wins ICC Player of the Month for February

  • Broke Virat Kohli's T20 World Cup runs record
  • Scored 383 runs with two centuries
  • First Pakistan male winner since 2024
  • Achieved career-high T20I batting ranking
  • Named in ICC Team of the Tournament
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Pak opener Sahibzada Farhan bags ICC Player of the Month award for February

Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan wins ICC Player of the Month after a record-breaking T20 World Cup, scoring 383 runs and breaking Virat Kohli's record.

"It's an incredible feeling to win this ICC award, especially for performances on the World Cup stage. - Sahibzada Farhan"

Dubai, March 23

Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has bagged the ICC Men's Player of the Month for February 2026 after his stunning ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in Sri Lanka, where he was the highest run-getter with 383 runs in seven matches at an average of 76.60 that included two hundreds and as many half centuries.

The right-hander had a superb run at the global event, boasting a strike rate of 160.25 while breaking Virat Kohli's longstanding record of most runs at the T20 World Cup in a single edition. He also became the first batter to score two centuries (against Namibia and Sri Lanka) in a singular global event of the shortest format.

Sahibzada won the award ahead of Will Jacks of England and Shadley van Schalwyk of the USA, following a vote conducted among global fans registered at icc-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising former international players and media representatives.

It is the only time Farhan has won the monthly ICC award, with the hard-hitting batter becoming the first male Pakistan player to achieve the feat since pacer Haris Rauf in November 2024.

"It's an incredible feeling to win this ICC award, especially for performances on the World Cup stage, where fans from all over the world are watching every moment. That makes it even more special," Farhan was quoted as saying in the ICC release.

"It was truly a tournament I'll always cherish, and I'm determined to carry this momentum forward in the series and competitions ahead. I'm deeply grateful to my teammates for their constant support and belief in me - this wouldn't have been possible without them."

Farhan attained a new career-high rating on the latest Men's T20I Batting rankings as he moved to second spot after his outstanding century against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. He was also involved in a record partnership of 176 runs, the highest for any wicket in T20Is, with Fakhar Zaman.

As a result of the memorable run, the 29-year old made it to the ICC Team of the Tournament with scores of 47, 73, 0, 100 not out, DNB, 63, 100 across seven games.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Well deserved award. His innings were a treat to watch, even as an Indian fan. Cricket is the real winner when we see such performances. The 176-run partnership with Fakhar was insane!
R
Rohit P
Amazing consistency. 383 runs at that average is phenomenal in T20s. But honestly, the record Kohli set was iconic. Records are meant to be broken, but it still stings a bit yaar. 😅
S
Sarah B
Respect where it's due. He outperformed everyone in February. The ICC panel and fan vote got it right. It's good for the sport when new stars emerge on the world stage.
V
Vikram M
Two centuries in a single T20 World Cup! That's the real headline. Shows how the game is evolving. Our bowlers need to analyze his gameplay. Congratulations to him.
K
Karthik V
While his achievement is fantastic, I do wish the article gave a bit more context about the tournament conditions or the bowling attacks he faced. Still, 160+ strike rate is seriously impressive. Well played.

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