The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday declared Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan as ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February after his “stellar display with the bat” at the recent T20 World Cup.
In a press release, the global cricket body said, “Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan has grabbed the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February 2026 owing to a stunning ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in Sri Lanka.”
“The highest run-getter of the marquee event finished with 383 runs in seven matches (six innings) at an average of 76.60, which included two hundreds and as many half tons.
“The hard-hitting right-hander had a superb run at the global event, boasting a strike rate of 160.25 while breaking a longstanding Virat Kohli’s record of most runs at the T20 World Cup in a single edition,” the ICC said.
Farhan has become the first male Pakistani player to achieve this title since pacer Haris Rauf in November 2024.
He was also the only Pakistani player included in the 12-member Team of the Tournament for the 2026 season of ICC T20 World Cup, the ICC press release stated.
It quoted Farhan as saying, “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.
“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.”
The press release further mentioned that the opener also became the first batter to score two centuries in a single global event — against Namibia and Sri Lanka — of the shortest format.
“Farhan attained a new career-high rating on the latest Men’s T20I Batting rankings as he moved to second spot post an outstanding ton against Sri Lanka in Pallekele,” it said.
Moreover, “he was also involved in a record partnership of 176 runs, the highest for any wicket in T20Is, with Fakhar Zaman. Despite the efforts and the five-run victory against the co-hosts, Pakistan couldn’t qualify to the semi-final stage due to a lesser net run rate”.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi congratulated Farhan on winning the ICC Player of the Month award.
A statement issued by the PCB quoted Naqvi as saying that Farhan’s feat was a source of pride for Pakistan cricket and a reflection of his “hard work and professional approach”.
“I hope that he will maintain consistency in his performances,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.
