New Delhi [India], April 6 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the Men’s Player of the month nominees for March 2026. Two Indian heroes from the T20 World Cup triumph, Sanju
Samson and Jasprit Bumrah, along with Connor Esterhuizen, a rising Proteas star, are in the running for the monthly honour in March 2026, according to the ICC website. Sanju Samson (India) Samson may not have been a part of the playing XI for India in the initial stages of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, but once included, he performed of a lifetime on the world stage. His scores of 97* against the Windies in a must-win Super 8 game, followed by 89 against England in the semi-final, and as many against New Zealand in the all-important final, not only ensured India defended their T20I crown but also sealed the Player of the Tournament award for Samson. In the three crucial T20Is he was a part of in March 2026, Samson notched up 275 runs at an astonishing average of 137.50 and a stunning strike rate of 199.27. The opening batter’s colossal performance in the global event also won him back-to-back Player of the Match awards, apart from securing him a place in the top 20 of the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings. Jasprit Bumrah (India) India’s bowling linchpin Jasprit Bumrah once again displayed his importance during the knockout stages of a marquee tournament that helped the hosts lift the coveted T20 World Cup trophy on March 8. Being exceptional throughout the tournament, Bumrah picked two wickets in the Super 8 clash against the West Indies, which included the scalp of the in-form Shimron Hetmyer. India’s go-to-bowler then delivered a riveting performance in the semi-final against England in a game where every bowler was going at more than 9.50 runs per over. Giving away just eight and six runs in the 16th and 18th over respectively, Bumrah was the point of difference with his bowling figures reading 4-0-33-1, as the English eventually fell short by just seven runs, chasing 253. The yorker specialist followed it up with a four-wicket haul, giving away just 15 runs in his four overs, in the final against the Black Caps and was rewarded the Player of the Match. Connor Esterhuizen (South Africa) Proteas wicket-keeper-batter Connor Esterhuizen had an impressive debut T20I series against New Zealand, scoring 200 runs in five matches, at an average of 50.00 and a strike rate of 145.98. On the back of a formidable SA20 season, Esterhuizen began his international outing in T20Is with a 45*, while also bringing up his first fifty in the shortest format in the fourth match of the series, where he was declared the Player of the Match after scoring 57 runs off 33 deliveries. Esterhuizen ended the series not only as the highest run-getter, but also scored a pivotal 75 off 33 deliveries in the decisive fifth T20I to help South Africa seal the series 3-2, claiming his second Player of the Match award in as many games. (ANI)
