Shubman Gill named ICC Player of Month for September 2023
Indian opener Shubman Gill won the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for September 2023 for his exceptional run of form in ODIs leading up to the ICC Cricket World Cup. The youngster won the award ahead of his compatriot Mohammad Siraj and English batter Dawid Malan. Gill amassed 480 runs in ODI cricket in the month of September at 80. Here's more.
Why does this story matter?
The ICC acknowledges brilliant performances every month in men's and women's categories internationally, and therefore, those players are nominated. Eventually, one of them is picked as the winner for that particular month. They have been handing out these monthly awards since the start of 2021. Renowned journalists and former cricketers form the voting panel. Meanwhile, the public has 10% voting rights.
Most runs in ODIs this year
Gill has been in spectacular form this year especially in ODIs as he has compiled 1,230 runs in 20 matches at an average of 72.35. He has hammered five centuries and as many fifties this year in this format. No other batter has crossed the 1,000-run mark this year in ODIs. UAE's Asif Khan (934) and Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka (870) are behind him.
Most runs in the 2023 Asia Cup
India dominated SL in the 2023 Asia Cup final to lift their eighth continent crown. Gill finished the tournament as the leading run scorer in the tournament with 302 runs across six matches at an impressive average of 75.50. He hammered a century against Bangladesh along with a couple of fifties. No other batter touched the 300-run mark in the tournament.
Gill becomes fastest Indian batter to complete 1,000 ODI runs
Earlier this year, Gill shattered the record of Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan to become India's fastest batter to amass 1,000 ODI runs in 19 innings. He achieved this feat against New Zealand while slamming his second consecutive century. Gill also became second-fastest to this record overall, equalling Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq. Fakhar Zaman crossed the record in 18 innings, he is the fastest in ODIs.
