The International Cricket Council on Monday announced the nominees for the ICC Player of the Month Award for March, as Indian stars Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah are in the race for the honour alongside South Africa’s Connor Esterhuizen. The ICC also named the monthly nominees in women’s cricket, with New Zealand’s Melie Kerr, Australia’s Beth Mooney and South Africa’s Ayabonga Khaka being shortlisted for the honour.
There will be a strong competition between Samson and Bumrah, while Esterhuizen will also present a challenge for the men’s award. Samson was in sensational form in India’s last three matches in the T20 World Cup 2026. He scored 97* in a virtual quarterfinal against the West Indies to help India chase down 196 to help the team enter the semis, where he scored 89 against England as the Men in Blue piled up 253/7.ย
The wicketkeeper batter was in insane touch in the final too, scoring another 89 against New Zealand as the hosts scored 255/5 and won the World Cup. For his performances, Samson was adjudged the Player of the tournament.
Bumrah’s magic continued in World Cup
Meanwhile, Bumrah was in astonishing touch in the tournament, ending the World Cup as the joint-highest wicket taker wit 14 wickets in eight innings. His performances in the semifinal and the final of the World Cup were crucial for India in winning the tournament. He took 2/36 against the West Indies in a game where 195/4 were scored.ย
In the semifinal, his economical spells helped India stop the English rampage. Bumrah took 1/33 in a game where 499 runs were scored in both innings. The speedster took figures of 4/15 in the final as India won by 96 runs.
Standout debut for Esterhuizen
Proteas wicketkeeper-batter Connor Esterhuizen enjoyed a standout debut T20I series against New Zealand, amassing 200 runs across five matches at an average of 50.00 and an impressive strike rate of 145.98.
Building on a strong SA20 campaign, Esterhuizen made an immediate impact in international T20 cricket with an unbeaten 45 in his first outing. He went on to register his maiden T20I half-century in the fourth match, earning Player of the Match honours for a blistering 57 off just 33 balls.
Kerr, Mooney, Khaka nominated for women’s award
New Zealand captain Melie Kerr was in exceptional form throughout March, delivering standout performances during the home series against Zimbabwe and South Africa. Across four ODIs and six T20Is, her impactful all-round displays propelled her to the top of the ICC Womenโs T20I all-rounder rankings.
Beth Mooney put together an excellent run of form in March, providing stability and leadership at the top of Australiaโs batting across formats. Ayabonga Khaka also stood out with the ball during South Africaโs tour of New Zealand, finishing as her sideโs leading wicket-taker in the T20I series.