New Delhi, April 6 – Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson, star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, and South African batter Connor Esterhuizen have been nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for March 2026.
Samson, who began watching the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup from the sidelines, delivered one of the tournament's most dramatic personal performances after being given an opportunity to play in the Super Eights clash against Zimbabwe in Chennai.
He scored an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies in a crucial Super Eights match in Kolkata before scoring 89 in both the semi-final against England in Mumbai and the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad. His performance helped India retain the title on home soil, with Samson also winning the Player of the Tournament award.
Bumrah, meanwhile, was instrumental in every knockout victory India achieved on their way to winning the title. In a semi-final where most bowlers conceded more than 9.50 runs per over against England, Bumrah was at his best, taking 1-31, with his tight overs in the 16th and 18th proving decisive as England fell short by seven runs.
He then followed up with a four-wicket haul, conceding just 15 runs in four overs in the final against New Zealand to earn the Player of the Match award at his home ground. In all, Bumrah took seven wickets with an average of 12 and an economy rate of 7 in India's last three matches of the competition.
After the T20 World Cup, Esterhuizen shone with 200 runs across five matches for South Africa against New Zealand, scoring his first T20I fifty in the fourth game before smashing an unbeaten 75 off 33 balls in the decisive fifth game to seal a 3-2 series win.
He won two Player of the Match awards and reached 39th position in the men's T20I batting rankings with 551 rating points, the fourth-best by any South African batter after five matches.