The International Cricket Council has announced the nominees for the Men’s Player of the Month award for February 2026, with Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan, England all-rounder Will Jacks and United States of America fast bowler Shadley van Schalkwyk earning spots on the shortlist.
All three players were recognised in the ICC Team of the Tournament at the conclusion of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which served as the primary stage for their performances during the month.
The announcements were made on 16 March 2026, and voting is now open to the ICC Voting Academy and registered fans worldwide via the official ICC website.
Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan): Record-Breaking Tournament
Sahibzada Farhan was the standout batter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 by a considerable margin. The hard-hitting opener amassed 383 runs across seven T20Is at an average of 76.60 and a strike rate of 160.25, figures that put him in a class of his own during the tournament.
His campaign included two centuries in a single edition of the T20 World Cup, a feat no batter had achieved before. He recorded centuries against Namibia and Sri Lanka, and in doing so also broke Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs scored in a single edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Those two milestones alone make a compelling case for Farhan to take the monthly award.
| Stat | Figure |
| Matches | 7 |
| Runs | 383 |
| Average | 76.60 |
| Strike Rate | 160.25 |
| Centuries | 2 |
Will Jacks (England): Consistent Contribution with Bat and Ball
Will Jacks contributed to England’s run to the semi-finals of the tournament with performances across both departments. He scored 192 runs at a strike rate of 173.21 across nine T20Is while also claiming 11 wickets at an economy rate of 8.04. He won four Player of the Match awards during the tournament, reflecting how consistently he delivered when it mattered for his side.
Jacks is one of the more versatile players in white-ball cricket at present, and his numbers during February reflect that. While he did not break records as Farhan did, his all-round reliability and the number of matches he played made him one of the more complete performers across the competition.
| Stat | Figure |
| Matches | 9 |
| Runs | 192 |
| Strike Rate | 173.21 |
| Wickets | 11 |
| Economy Rate | 8.04 |
| Player of the Match Awards | 4 |
Shadley van Schalkwyk (USA): Leading Wicket-Taker in Group Stage
Shadley van Schalkwyk’s inclusion on the shortlist highlights one of the tournament’s more impressive individual bowling performances. The USA fast bowler took 13 wickets in just four matches at an economy rate of 6.80, finishing the group stage as the leading wicket-taker.
He took four wickets for 25 runs against both India and Pakistan, two of the tournament’s stronger batting sides, before adding three for 21 against the Netherlands. His performances were a significant factor in the United States punching above their weight during the initial group stage, and he was named the 12th player in the ICC Team of the Tournament as a result.
| Stat | Figure |
| Matches | 4 |
| Wickets | 13 |
| Economy Rate | 6.80 |
| Best Figures | 4/25 (vs India and Pakistan) |
How Voting Works
The winner is determined by a combination of votes from the ICC Voting Academy and fans registered with the ICC. The Voting Academy holds a 90 per cent share of the total vote and comprises former players, journalists, broadcasters and members of the ICC Hall of Fame from cricket nations across the world. Fans account for the remaining 10 per cent and can cast their votes at icc-cricket.com/awards. Winners are announced every second week of the month on ICC’s digital channels.
The nominees are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month. For February 2026, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup provided the central platform for performances to be evaluated.
Full Men’s Shortlist at a Glance
| Player | Country | Role | Key Achievement |
| Sahibzada Farhan | Pakistan | Opener | 383 runs, 2 centuries, broke Kohli’s record |
| Will Jacks | England | All-rounder | 192 runs, 11 wickets, 4 POTM awards |
| Shadley van Schalkwyk | USA | Fast bowler | 13 wickets in 4 matches, group stage top wicket-taker |
Fans can vote for their preferred winner at icc-cricket.com/awards, with the February winner set to be announced in the coming days.
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